Children's home run by Norfolk County Council in Norwich

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 1 SC065883 Registered provider: Norfolk County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home can accommodate up to 7 children at any one time. It offers short-term breaks for children with severe learning and/or physical disabilities, including complex health needs. It can also provide long-term care for 2 children, as well as care for a child in an emergency.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were staying over at the home, and 2 children were living there.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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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: 25 November 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: SC065883 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/11/2024 Full Good 07/02/2024 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Good 27/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 16 children were accessing short breaks on a rotational basis. Four children have moved in as an emergency during this period. Since the last inspection, the home has opened space to offer care for up to 2 children for longer periods. A total of 3 children have been supported on this long-term basis. Two children remain at the time of this inspection. This change has meant there is now less disruption to the short-breaks offer because the home previously had to temporarily stop offering any short-breaks services and was closed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have warm and kind interactions with children. They talk about children positively and demonstrate they know children’s individual needs and communication styles well. Feedback from social workers highlights how ‘attuned’ staff are to children’s individual needs. Several social workers described children as ‘happy’ and ‘comfortable’ during their time at the home. A parent said their child ‘feels comfortable in an environment that feels like a home’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are confident in meeting children’s complex health needs. Staff know children’s health and care plans well. In addition, staff help children explore their day-to-day health and care needs. For example, some children have tried new foods and can now participate in some food preparation tasks. This is progress from their starting points. Staff help children explore and make choices about some of their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend education settings that meet their needs. Staff work closely with school professionals to understand children’s needs. Staff undertake creative play and expand on learning plans from school to help children continue to try new things at home. A social worker described how staff work in a ‘joined-up way’ to ‘mirror’ educational learning to help their child’s continued learning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in a range of activities at the home and spend time in the community visiting parks, local attractions and the beach. Staff planned a summer fun day for all children with the use of a bouncy castle and animal petting zoo at the home. This event was open to all children and their families. Staff also planned a Christmas party, which included various festive arts and crafts and a disco. Children try new things as part of these activities and experiences and participate in their local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are creative in the ways they share information and communicate with children to help them consider their needs. Children learn about themselves and their needs through planned and meaningful interactions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff assist children in achieving personalised targets. Over time, staff demonstrate how children are working towards these targets in measurable and achievable ways. Several social workers commented on children’s positive progress. One social worker said, ‘The changes in them are absolutely massive; they are like a different child.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 4

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

Staff help to keep children safe and ensure that they have safe and positive experiences when they come to visit the home. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities for children who come to visit and those who are living at the home. Staff have relevant safeguarding training and are confident in sharing any worries or concerns.

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

The manager and staff participate in regular multi-agency meetings involving social workers, education and healthcare professionals to consider children’s care needs and how well they are kept safe. Staff routinely communicate with professionals after children’s stays at the home. Staff are also quick to share information about any incidents involving children. All professionals commented on the helpful nature of these timely updates.

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

On some occasions, children have needed to be held. These are necessary and proportionate holds that often take place to ensure that children cannot hurt themselves or others. Since the last inspection, the manager has developed new forms to improve recording and staff reflection. Staff are suitably spoken with after any incidents. Records are clear and detailed, and the manager provides good oversight and considers any learning points with staff.

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

The manager promptly addresses concerns raised about staff practice. Information, when required, has been shared with the local authority designated officer, and follow-up actions have been taken to support improvements in staff practice through additional training or supervision sessions. However, on two occasions, information has not been promptly shared with Ofsted, which reduces the oversight of any safeguarding matters raised.

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

Records about children are personalised and detailed. However, in some records, language used about children going missing from the home is not always child friendly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is registered with Ofsted and holds a relevant qualification. They are supported by two deputy managers, one for each side of the home. The manager leads with a positive and nurturing approach and has high aspirations for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the needs of the service and has plans in place for development. She considers how to continually improve practice for the benefit of children. The manager understands children’s needs well and has good monitoring of children’s time spent at the home, their activities and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built effective relationships with professionals. All professionals commented on the quality of communication from the manager and staff at the home. Staff work closely with schools, professionals and parents to ensure consistency for children. This helps to ensure that children receive well-planned care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 5 Staff receive regular training that aligns with mandatory requirements. They also receive additional, child-specific training throughout the year, where they learn about children’s specific health or behaviour needs. Community nurses or other relevant professionals support this training. When shortfalls in staff practice are identified, the manager ensures that they receive additional training, including competency reviews if necessary. This training is monitored to ensure improvements in care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision sessions and are regularly spoken with about children’s progress and experiences. Staff speak positively about the manager, who has provided support for them during difficult personal circumstances. Overall, staff are positive about their support and experiences at the home, but they recognise that setting up a long- term service alongside short breaks in 2025 has been a challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A change since the last inspection is that the home now offers longer-term care for up to 2 children. This is offered in a separate part of the home with a different staff team. When children move to this side of the home, an assessment takes place to consider their needs. However, the manager has not recorded effectively how they have reviewed and considered this information and the suitability of how they can meet children’s needs living together long term. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place to ensure that all serious incidents are notified to Ofsted within 24 hours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  The registered person should ensure that staff record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way. In particular, ensure that missing-from-care incidents are recorded using language that is child friendly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to their assessed needs as recorded in their relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is clear leadership and management oversight

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Recommendations

recorded regarding decisions about children’s moves 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: SC065883 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Norfolk County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DH

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Inspector

Rebecca Hannell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065883 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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