Children's Home run by Broadlands Hall Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 1 SC060936 Registered provider: Broadlands Hall Limited

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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 privately owned and provides care and education for up to eight children with moderate to severe learning difficulties and/or autism.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a school in the grounds of the home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2022.

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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: SC060936 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/05/2023 Full Good 13/06/2022 Full Good 08/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the five children living at the home contributed to the inspection. One child was away from the home spending time with family. Two children were attending school and taking part in planned evening activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that they are happy at the home. They are proud of the activities that they take part in, such as horse-riding, rugby and swimming. Children appear comfortable and enjoy being with staff. Staff tailor their support to the needs of each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are photos of the children and staff displayed throughout the home. Children are supported to develop their independence skills. Children learn how to pay for meals in restaurants, help with cooking meals and grocery shopping, and develop life skills such as doing their laundry and changing their bed linen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been caring for the home’s goats in the mornings. This has supported them to develop a morning routine that creates a positive start to the school day. As a result, their school attendance has improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child has been supported to eat a healthy diet after concerns about their weight were raised by health professionals. Healthy eating has led to better overall health and access to new experiences. This child can now enjoy horse-riding, in line with their wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with children’s families to ensure that information is shared. The staff take children to and from their family homes for weekends and holidays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to achieve their goals. One child was taken to the opticians many times over several weeks. The child was able to learn at their own pace how to use contact lenses. Staff supported the child sensitively and encouraged them, and eventually the child was able to use their contact lenses successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are comprehensive. Children have their own care plans which are written in a way they can understand. Children’s records are updated frequently and provide clear guidance to staff on how to support each child. This ensures that staff provide consistent and predictable care to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised and there are lots of spacious communal living spaces. Children enjoy living together and are supported by staff to manage any emerging problems with their peers. One child said that he was proud that he had used ‘kind hands’ with others at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some medication errors that have resulted in missed doses for children. While children were not harmed, medical advice was not sought in a timely way. In Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 4 addition, leaders and managers have not addressed concerns or revisited safe medication administration with the whole staff team.

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

Children are settled and happy at the home. They respond well to predictable routines and clear expectations. There are few incidents and children do not go missing from the home.

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

Consequences are rarely used, but when they are necessary, staff clearly explain to children the reason behind the measures. Staff talk to children and communicate with them in a way that meets their needs. Staff are knowledgeable about children’s individual needs, likes and dislikes.

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

Children are supported to express their individuality. One child has been supported through regular key-worker sessions to explore sensitive issues. Conversations with the child are supportive and encourage openness and acceptance. Staff educate children on sexual health, balanced with protective boundaries around age-restricted content.

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

Children know how to make complaints. They have access to the children’s guide to supplement this knowledge.

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

Staff understand the safeguarding policies. They are aware of how to raise safeguarding concerns.

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

Staff support one child’s parent to manage their child’s needs when at home. Staff have shared their behaviour management strategies and provided advice to the parent. This has ensured that there are consistent boundaries and predictable responses for this child.

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

There have been occasions when staff have had to hold children for their own safety. When physical restraint has been used, this has been necessary and proportionate. During the use of restraint, staff take action to protect children’s dignity. Staff talk calmly to children and the restraint has often ended in children holding staff’s hands for reassuring touch. Records of restraint are clear, and children have been spoken to by managers when they have been held.

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

On one occasion, staff did not respond to a child appropriately in line with their care plan and specific needs. This led to the child becoming upset and assaulting staff. The child was spoken to by staff following the incident and said they felt that they had not been listened to. This does not support the child to develop trusting relationships with staff.

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

The fire risk assessment completed in June 2024 identified that several fire doors and maintenance issues required repair within nine weeks. At the time of inspection, these issues had not been rectified. While many of these issues were addressed by the home by the end of the inspection, some were not. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitability experienced and qualified registered manager. The manager is supported by other managers within the organisation and the responsible individual. The registered manager was not present for the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children attend school regularly. Leaders and managers work closely with the on-site school to support children’s education.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced and stable staff team. Staff receive regular supervision sessions and say that this supports their practice. Staff are knowledgeable about the children they care for. They are proud of children’s achievements and celebrate children’s successes with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported to share their wishes and feelings through one-to-one sessions with staff and weekly residents’ meetings. However, leaders and managers have not effectively reviewed these records or responded to children’s requests or concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Six members of staff have not achieved the relevant qualification within the required timescale. Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to address this. Most staff have not had training in relation to one child’s identified needs. This has meant that staff have not always known how to support a child effectively or safely during incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monitoring systems fail to consider the views of external professionals, parents and children. This limits the manager’s ability to consider these views in relation to improving the quality of the service provided. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that requirements made in the home’s fire risk assessment are addressed within the required timescale. 15 January 2025

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 12 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 7 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to respond appropriately to children’s specific needs;

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Requirement Due date

respond to children when they raise concerns and when they make suggestions for improvements to the home;

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Requirement Due date

seek feedback from professionals, families and children, and use this feedback to improve the quality of service.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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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 each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that following medication errors, medical advice is sought without delay. 18 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 12 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 8 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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

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 (2)(a) (5)(a)) 12 February 2025

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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: SC060936 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Broadlands Hall Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Greenwood House, Greenwood Court, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 7GY

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Inspectors

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC060936 10 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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