Children's home run by Norfolk County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068955 1 SC068955 Registered provider: Norfolk County Council

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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 operated and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to 2 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 2 children living at the home at the time of this inspection. Both children were seen and spoken to.

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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: 12 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: SC068955 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/11/2024 Full Good 11/12/2023 Full Good 12/12/2022 Full Good 06/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068955 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in the home, supported by staff who care for them. Children have made significant progress in their relationship with each other and have been supported by staff in achieving this both individually and together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are building trusting relationships with children, helping them manage their emotions and encouraging positive behaviour. There is an ethos of nurture and care within the home and the staff promote positive activities for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education and learning for children are prioritised and positively advocated for by staff. Children have been supported by staff to access appropriate education placements. One child is not in full-time education. Staff have advocated for additional support and worked with partner agencies to identify a new school placement to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported by a multi-agency team that knows them well. Staff in the home have built positive relationships with partner agencies and professionals and share information effectively. The staff advocate for children and request additional support where this is needed to meet children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported with their emotional wellbeing by the staff. Regular direct work is completed with children and strong links are made to research and theory. Children are supported in line with the provider’s model of care, which staff know and understand well.

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

There are appropriate safety plans in place that identify risks for children and strategies to reduce them. Staff respond to incidents in line with the home’s model of care and de-escalation strategies are widely used with children. There are a low number of physical interventions in comparison to incidents. When physical interventions have been used, they have been to keep children safe. Following incidents, staff have engaged children in positive debriefs and identified lessons learned.

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

Allegations made by children are well managed by the management team. Children’s voices are heard and information is shared across multi-agency teams. The management teams conduct internal investigations to ensure that children are safe and that appropriate disciplinary actions have been taken where needed. Children are offered a resolution following an allegation.

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

Children do not go missing from care. Despite this, there are clear action plans in place to support staff in finding children if they did. The plans are detailed and contain Inspection report for children’s home: SC068955 4 important information that would be paramount in ensuring the safe return of the children.

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

Children have area restrictions within the home. While risk assessed, the plans in place have not been reviewed with the aim of removing these restrictions. One child voiced a significant dislike of the restrictions in place. There is no evidence of ongoing work with the children on the proportionality of the restrictions in managing risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children are supported by a management team that cares for them and knows them well. The members of the management team are present and visible within the home and take an active role in the children’s lives. There is strong management oversight within the home and across all documentation for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from staff who have the appropriate qualifications and training to fulfil their job role in meeting the children’s needs. Casual staff are held to the same level of account and undertake the same training and qualifications as permanent staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular and well attended by the staff. Reflective discussions take place about the needs of the children and include links to research in practice. Staff prioritise these meetings and consequently are well informed and their knowledge is kept updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The core staff team is small and consistent, which supports relationship building for children. When required, a small number of casual staff are used whom children know well. Children benefit from being cared for by familiar staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have appropriate safer recruitment checks undertaken. There is a thorough induction plan and access to training relevant to their job role. New staff starting at the home are well supported by the management team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068955 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home, and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC068955 6

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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

Mel Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068955 7 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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Inspector

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