Children's Home run by Suffolk County Council in Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 1 SC063110 Registered provider: Suffolk 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 local authority home provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since December 2024. An interim manager was appointed in December 2025 and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/07/2024 Full Good 05/07/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 3

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Summary of findings

Staff have not been able to keep children safe or promote their wellbeing. One child moved into the home despite there being significant assessed risks in relation to the group dynamic. Plans for another child to move out of the home were delayed, meaning children were exposed to harm for longer than the provider anticipated.

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Summary of findings

There have been multiple occasions when staff have not provided adequate support or supervision in line with children’s risk assessments or the clear guidance of managers. Shortfalls in the supervision of children have led to children being harmed and at risk of harm.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have not ensured that children do not negatively impact on each other. This has led to one child being exposed to risks that were not previous concerns for this child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child has moved out and one child has moved into the home since the last inspection. Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection, and both children shared their views with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child was moved into the home despite leaders and managers identifying a significant risk that this child may be negatively influenced and placed at risk by other children in the home. Risk mitigation strategies such as high levels of staff presence have been ineffective at reducing the risk for this child. This child, since moving into the home, has engaged in risky behaviours that they were not previously known to display.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have not managed to keep children safe and healthy. Children have provided each other with, and taken, illegal substances in the home. One child has been encouraged by another child into setting fires and staff recorded that they believe children set fire to the fumes from an aerosol spray. One child who has a significant history of mental health challenges has been exposed to other children’s self-injurious behaviour. Children have harmed themselves together and compared their injuries with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child said that they do not want to live in the home. Another child shared that they did not want to move out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child moved out of the home in a planned way. This child was supported to move back home with a parent. This child was supported to decorate and furnish their new bedroom and have a positive goodbye with staff. Some staff, whom the child has chosen, still support this child through outreach support while living at home with their parent. Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 4 Children have enjoyed a wide range of activities. Two children went to music concerts in big cities. Two children have experienced holidays and trips to theme parks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

All of the children are in education. Children attend educational provisions that are tailored to their individual needs.

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

Staff have not understood their core safeguarding responsibilities. They have not supervised children in line with their risk assessments or the guidance and instructions of managers. As a result, children have been exposed to harm.

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

On one occasion, children were left unsupervised for a short period of time in one child’s bedroom after attending a music concert. This was despite guidance that the children should be supervised at all times. All 3 children subsequently took illegal substances and became extremely unwell. This was a very serious incident in which children required immediate support from emergency services. The following day, children were again left unsupervised in one child’s bedroom.

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

On another occasion, 2 children were left unsupervised in one child’s bedroom during an incident when children were upset and breaking things in the room. Children, while unsupervised, broke the smoke detector. Staff recorded that they believe children set fire to the fumes from an aerosol spray.

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

A further incident occurred when children were again left unsupervised in another child’s bedroom, leading to further concerns and evidence of substance misuse.

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

Staff have not been able to manage situations in which children have tried to harm themselves without this negatively impacting on other children’s wellbeing. One child was encouraged by another when expressing feelings of wanting to harm themselves.

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

Staff have been proactive in sourcing external support for children. Staff have supported children through one-to-one sessions, internet resources and quizzes to understand the dangers and risks relating to illegal substances. When appropriate, children have been involved in decision-making in relation to their care, such as agreeing rules, boundaries and consequences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been several changes to the leadership and management of the home since the last inspection. The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role. There have been several management changes. The last registered manager left in December 2024. An interim manager was appointed but subsequently left the post. Another interim manager was appointed in December 2025 and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 5 The changes in the leadership and management of the home have impacted on the ability to provide clear and consistent guidance and support to staff to ensure children receive suitable care and support. As a result, staff have not consistently kept children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The new manager has worked in the home for a number of years and consequently has an in-depth working knowledge of the home and staff. This provides some consistency for staff. The manager has a clear direction for how they want the home to improve. Leaders and managers are aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and have plans to improve the quality of care for children. Managers have set clear expectations for staff in relation to the care and safety of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When there have been concerns in relation to staff practice, the manager has taken appropriate and decisive action to ensure that practice in the home continues to improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers were reflective of the concerns raised on this inspection. Leaders and managers have taken action in relation to the shortfalls identified. Immediate plans were made to increase the safety of children. There are clear plans in place to continue to develop and improve the service. Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 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

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

children have a positive experience of living in the home and leaders and managers manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 14 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 7 children only come to live at the home when it has been assessed that staff are able to keep them safe and safely meet their needs, taking all action necessary to reduce identified risks;

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Requirement Due date

risk assessments are clear, up to date and are followed by all staff involved in the care of the children.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC063110 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Suffolk County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX

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Inspector

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC063110 9 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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