Children's home run by BREAK

Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 1 SC400901 Registered provider: BREAK Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a registered charity, can provide care for up to five children with disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 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 outstanding

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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: 28 February 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: SC400901 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2024 Full Good 01/03/2023 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Good 09/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Two children have moved on from the home since the last inspection. One child has recently moved in and another child is due to move into the home imminently. Two children spoke with the inspector during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that they can talk to staff if they are worried or upset. Positive, warm and nurturing interactions were observed between the children and staff, with lots of laughter, and staff are responsive to the individual needs of the children. The children are very comfortable in the company of the staff and have built trusting relationships with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education and encourage children to persevere with it. When children have faced challenges or setbacks in education, the home proactively advocates for them. This means that children access education with support tailored to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s health needs and work closely with external agencies to support children with their health concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in activities they enjoy. Positive relationships with staff have contributed to the progress that the children have made. Professionals and families spoke positively about the care their children receive. One parent said, ‘I have nothing but positive things to say about the home, I have seen a real change in [name of child] since they have been living at the home, I can see [name of child] is doing good.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care and their bedrooms are personalised to their tastes and liking. The home is also decorated and designed to the children’s interests. Each child has a room in the home that is tailored to their likes. This gives children a safe place in which to relax and have downtime if they wish to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work hard to ensure that children maintain links with those who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager knows the children extremely well. Children who have moved on from the home have been supported to do this successfully. However, leaders and managers have recently agreed for a child to move into the home despite the manager being of the view that the timing was not in the best interests of this child and the children already living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 4

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

Children feel safe and supported. They are safeguarded and protected very well and are safer because of the care they receive. Staff have completed safeguarding training and have a strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and whistle-blowing. They know how to follow these procedures if necessary.

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

Professionals and parents are extremely positive about the safeguarding practices in the home. They spoke with enthusiasm about how well the staff know the children and understand their needs which, in turn, contributes to their safety.

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

Each child is provided with an exceptionally individual children’s guide to the home. This is creatively constructed and uses staff’s excellent awareness of the children’s communication needs and systems. Consequently, children are provided with an accessible document that helps them understand whom they can speak to if they have concerns about their care.

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

The staff have an excellent approach to reinforcing positive behaviour. Each child has a room in the home that is dedicated to them. These rooms are designed around children’s likes and dislikes. They are places that children are able to access of their own free will when feeling angry or upset and have helped them to be able to regulate their feelings and manage their emotions.

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

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of working therapeutically with children. This has helped children to make positive changes to their daily routines and behaviours. Incidents are notably less frequent or severe.

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

There have been no allegations against staff. Leaders and managers are aware that a lack of allegations does not mean that concerns do not exist. They are open-minded about the potential for concerns and model an ‘it could happen here’ approach.

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

There have been no complaints or missing-from-home incidents since the last inspection. However, staff were able to talk about how they would respond should a child go missing from the home.

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

The staff’s understanding and awareness of children have significantly contributed to there being no need for any physical interventions since the last inspection. Staff have training on appropriate restraint techniques. They are highly skilled in de-escalation strategies to respond to children’s anxieties.

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

Staff and managers support children to understand their behaviour through key-work sessions. When incidents occur, staff use positive reinforcement rather than consequences to correct behaviour. There is good evidence of management oversight and debriefs take place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 5 Staff are assisted by strong, detailed risk assessments and plans. These cover a range of topics, including children’s daily routines, managing behaviour and other risks. They are highly effective and help staff to know the children well and to identify their triggers and risks. Staff review the plans consistently and follow strategies that help to keep children safe.

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

Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and potential and allow them to take balanced risks. As a result, children are empowered through their independence. For example, a child helps staff prepare dinner as this is something they enjoy. This approach has helped children to feel involved and gives them a sense of accomplishment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She shows a strong commitment to the home, children and staff. Staff are positive about the manager and deputy manager and the support that they provide. The manager and deputy manager have good expectations and aspirations . There is a good working relationship among all senior staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a positive and child-focused ethos to working with the children. Staff complete the organisation’s mandatory training; leaders and managers strive to provide staff with additional training. As a result, staff access training that is tailored to the children’s emerging needs, which means staff are supported to care for children and meet their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are followed. New staff have thorough inductions. These include comprehensive training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported by management. Staff have regular supervisions, and an annual appraisal of their performance, which are helpful and meaningful. This provides staff with opportunities to discuss their development and any issues or concerns they have. In addition to this, staff benefit from regular team meetings and reflective meetings with the clinical lead.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from a range of external agencies is consistently good. This includes responses from social workers, education staff and a child’s parent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have effective management systems. Records are of a good standard and give information about the care provided to children. Managers complete regular audits of care practice and the operation of the home, with actions to address any shortfalls or learning. Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children, including the pace of any child’s move into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: SC400901 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC400901 8 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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