Children's home run by Clover Childcare Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 1 Registered provider: Clover Childcare Services 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

This home is privately operated and provides care for up to three children. The home offers therapeutic care to children with complex behavioural and social care needs. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection. During this inspection, the inspector spoke to all three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 16 January 2024

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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: 1263776 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Good 19/04/2021 Full Good 17/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out and two children have moved into the home. One child had a successful return to their family. The staff worked hard to make this a positive and successful move after a long period of time living away from family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is a good home with examples of excellent practice. Staff benefit from therapeutic training and guidance that they speak very highly of. From the time children move in, staff have a good understanding of their backgrounds and experiences. The staff continue to reflect on the impact of children’s trauma and use this to inform individual care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience high levels of emotional warmth and nurture from staff who take exceptional pride and joy in caring for them. Children have carefully considered individual routines, boundaries and lots of play. As a result, children are experiencing predictability and stability. A staff member said: ‘Everyone is lovely. The children are at the forefront every day. All our time goes into the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to make good educational progress. All children receive education from an independent school. An independent reviewing officer said that their child had made ‘huge progress’ and that they were now going to school regularly. Another independent reviewing officer said: ‘Socially and academically, [name of child] is beginning to blossom.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy spending time around each other. There is laughter, play and kindness at the home, with energetic staff who children enjoy spending quality time with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals speak highly of the therapeutic care given to children. An independent reviewing officer said that their child was making ‘fantastic progress, beyond everyone’s expectations’. A social worker said: ‘It is a testament to their care that [name of child] feels safe, contained, happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress regarding their emotional needs. For example, they are helped to develop emotional literacy and to express their feelings in healthy ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family relationships are valued. Staff have knowledge and understanding of children’s important relationships and help children to have positive time with family. One parent said that they were happy with the care provided and that their child only has positive things to say about the home. Another parent said their child was ‘thriving’ and that the home helps to make time as a family positive. Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 4 Staff help children to make positive childhood memories. They take children on enjoyable days out as well as regular activities, such as swimming lessons. Children are encouraged to try new activities. Staff capture children’s experiences in a variety of ways, including memory books and keeping childhood memorabilia safe for them.

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

Staff have access to a range of training. When children have specific needs, staff proactively seek to learn the skills needed so that they can best help children. For example, the manager sought guidance from a specialist bereavement service and has been using resources to help one child. Further bereavement training is being arranged.

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

Staff involve children in assessment of the local area. For example, when children move in, staff take them for local walks to help them get to know their community. This provides a sense of belonging, an opportunity to learn about their surroundings and develop a better understanding of safety.

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

Staff routinely educate children in creative, meaningful ways. This includes using resources such as videos, books and visual worksheets. This helps children learn how to be safe when they are in the car, in the community and in their interactions with others.

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

Risk assessments name individualised risks and provide guidance for staff. The manager recently used external oversight to improve these, to ensure children’s needs are explicit and that the risk assessment tool is used more effectively.

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

Children feel safe to talk to trusted staff about their past experiences. When this has happened, staff have escalated appropriately. However, on one occasion recording does not clearly reflect the time that staff took the action. This fails to show whether this was reported promptly.

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

At times, staff have physically intervened with children to help keep them safe. On one occasion, a child said that they were hurt during a hold, and this was not escalated promptly to ensure external oversight. The social worker emphasised the importance of their child feeling heard and believed. Leaders and managers have taken several actions to address this to ensure that processes to protect children are always followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2024. She is working towards her level 5 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to developing the care provided. External and internal quality assurance is well established and used to improve practice. There is a strong network of senior and peer support that uses various ways to reflect and develop the home. The manager is motivated to achieve the best outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 5 Staff are happy working at this home. They said that they are well supported and that they are committed to the therapeutic approach. One staff member said that they were at their most confident due to the manager, and said: ‘There is a lovely warm feel at the home which radiates and shines within the enjoyment we get from our children every day.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions benefit the staff and the manager. These sessions are fair, meaningful and reflective. When appropriate, challenge is evident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads by example and encourages curiosity about children’s experiences and what staff can do to best help children. Recording about children evidences the therapeutic approach well. It is child centred, strengths based and empathic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well regarded by professionals. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘She is a good manager and entirely child focused, as are her team.’ The school said that ‘Staff have worked hard during the morning to ensure that all the children arrive in a positive manner to start their day.’ Social workers commented on the homely feel, nurturing care and how well staff support time between children and their families. Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that action taken and when in response to disclosures is accurately recorded, and avoid institutional language such as ‘YPs’. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children are listened to and enabled to report any allegations at the earliest opportunity. Staff should report any allegation of abuse immediately to a senior manager in the home. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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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: 1263776 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Clover Childcare Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Rectory, Old Rectory Road, Brumstead, Norwich NR12 9EU

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Inspector

Carrie Twinn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1263776 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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Inspector

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