Children's Home run by Acorn Norfolk Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 1 Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited

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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 five children with learning disabilities. It is operated by a national provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is in the grounds of an independent school and seven other children’s homes that are all operated by the same national provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since September 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children at the home at the time of the inspection. All five children living at the home were spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2638159 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2023 Full Good 13/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on and two children have moved to the home. The child who moved on had a positive ending

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from a high level of staff support. They enjoy being with the staff and show that they like the staff very much. There is lots of laughter, and the children take part in a variety of activities. Children seek out staff to spend time with them and go to the office to see the manager. The manager regularly works as part of the team outside of managerial tasks. Overall, the staff have built meaningful relationships with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children attend the on-site school. They are all making progress, and their attendance is very good. Two of the children are working towards a combination of awards and nationally recognised personal progress awards. They are undertaking modules in reading, writing, mathematics, employment skills, horticulture and animal care. There is a small farm attached to the school, where children learn how to care for a variety of animals. All of the children enjoy the opportunity to spend time with the animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a new room at the home. This is used to help children prepare for health or social appointments. The room is equipped with opticians’ tools, dentist equipment, scales, height measurement charts and lots of hairdressing equipment. Children spend time there to help prepare them for appointments they find intimidating. Staff talked with pride about how one child had been prepared for a hospital appointment, which was a resounding success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are all trained to use a variety of communication techniques. They know the children very well and do not rely on being able to interpret their wishes and feelings with visual clues. Children who are non-verbal are encouraged to use social stories to convey their views. Children are supported to make choices using mood boards, signing and cards to help with their understanding. This helps everyone to have a better understanding of alternative ways to communicate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves from the home are well planned, and families are fully involved in these. When children move to the home, there are meetings to discuss the suitability of the home for the child. The child visits the home to understand what to expect when they move in. The managers reflect with staff when children move. This helps them to take any learning forward for the future. Leaving celebrations are held and memory books are given to children that capture the positive achievements children have accomplished.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is maintained to a good standard. It is child-friendly, with toys, games and books available throughout. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised and are Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 4 filled with toys chosen by the child. One child prefers that their bedroom has few personal items in it. The manager ensures that this is reviewed regularly so that the child’s wishes are up to date. There are mood boards throughout the home that children and staff use as communication aids. Staff are continually looking for opportunities to improve this.

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

Staff receive clinical consultations and additional guidance to manage unwanted behaviours. They value the opportunity to broaden their understanding of children’s behaviours with the clinical team. This helps staff to support children who are experiencing difficulties. There is a focus on helping children to develop emotional resilience.

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

Staff’s assessment of risk is comprehensive and therapeutically informed. Staff consistently consider the feelings and experiences that highlight children’s behaviours. Their awareness of adverse childhood trauma helps children to understand themselves and others. Staff work hard to help children express themselves. Staff find imaginative ways to record the voice and feelings of the child.

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

There has been one occasion when a child left the home. Staff followed the child and encouraged them to return. There is an established protocol for recording these incidents. Staff always have a conversation with the child when they return. They undertake key-work sessions using communication methods that are appropriate to the child’s understanding. Staff respond to children using kind words and gestures. This helps children to understand why leaving the home in an unplanned way can be unsafe.

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

Allegations are responded to efficiently and compassionately. Staff work effectively with social workers to maintain strong relationships. A social worker said that communication with the staff is really good.

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good

The previous manager left in September 2024. There is a new manager who has been in post for a few weeks. She has been the manager of another home on the same site. She is currently working towards a qualification in leadership and management.

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good

There have been a number of incidents involving the dispensing of medication. These are responded to quickly, and lessons learned are shared. All staff have been retrained to ensure that they record incidents and understand all medication protocols. Staff share responses to medication errors with parents and appropriate agencies. An independent audit of the medication procedures has resulted in recommendations, which have been implemented. Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 5 Agency staff are used frequently due to the lack of local applicants for posts. There is a balance of new and permanent staff. This helps to enrich children’s experiences. Permanent and employed bank staff provide cover for additional shifts as required. A parent said, ‘There have been a lot of staff changes, and we feel that this has contributed to [name of child’s] ability to remain calm. You feel they [the child] might

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good

not cope with change. But in life, change happens. My daughter has had to get used to it. I think it has been positive.’

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good

The records of incidents are not always easy to find and follow. These inconsistencies have been identified by the new manager.

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good

Staff think highly of the manager. They say that she is approachable, available for conversations and highly supportive of them. Staff recognise the manager is a strong advocate for the children. They appreciate that she often works alongside staff to ensure that her knowledge of the children remains a priority. A member of staff said that the manager is a positive role model and she ‘is always good at coming up with different ways of thinking about how to work with the children’.

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good

Staff enjoy supervision sessions that are reflective and child-focused. Staff’s well- being and safeguarding are discussed in detail. Staff and managers explore the impact of their work. They reflect on how their work is helping the children to progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 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, 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration, and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the dispensing and recording of medication by a team or shift leader, which is witnessed and countersigned on each occasion. 20 November

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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 home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning. 20 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 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: 2638159 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Trudy Potter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2638159 9 and inspects 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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