Children's Home run by BREAK in Norfolk

Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 1 Registered provider: Break Charity

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home in March 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were no children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/07/2025 Full Good 24/04/2024 Full Good 21/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 3

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Summary of findings

The home received a monitoring visit in February 2026. At that visit, requirements relating to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, were raised.

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Summary of findings

The responsible individual and leaders and managers have not fully addressed the areas in need of development. Some systems and processes are not yet in place to help improve management oversight and staff practice. This, along with further shortfalls identified, have limited the overall quality of care provided.

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Summary of findings

Shortfalls in the safety of children and management oversight have resulted in an overall judgement of ‘requires improvement to be good’.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, no children have moved into the home, and one child has moved out. Staff felt unable to manage the child’s increasing risks. Despite clear risk management planning in place, staff did not always make decisions that promoted the child’s safety. This meant the child did not always receive well-planned and consistent care.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers were planning for a child to move into the home in the week of this inspection. Risk management planning is not yet effective. Leaders and managers had not fully considered the child’s needs in relation to the skills and experience of the staff team. This meant additional training needs to help manage risks associated with ligatures had not been identified.

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improvement to be good

Despite the child’s significant and complex needs, their risk assessment was only completed the day before the child was due to move in. This meant staff had limited time to review the document to ensure they have a good understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities. Both documents, once completed, were comprehensive and detailed.

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improvement to be good

Most of the staff team are relatively new to their roles, having been recently recruited. Staff recognise the importance of taking time to get to know children and building relationships with them before they move into the home. Staff speak of children with warmth, compassion and sensitivity about their lived experiences.

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improvement to be good

The home is generally well furnished, and has ample space for children to enjoy. A thoughtful approach to the interior helps create a calm environment. New soft furnishings were added to communal areas during the inspection. Staff help children to feel welcomed into the home by placing a welcome basket, along with personalised furnishings, in their bedrooms. This has helped make the environment feel more homely. Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 4

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have missed opportunities to refer concerns to the local authority designated officer (LADO). This has meant these concerns have not been investigated in a timely way. Leaders and managers do always not take effective action to address safeguarding concerns when staff practice has fallen short of expectations. Additionally, leaders and managers have not implemented the wider learning identified from other investigation reports. This means opportunities to help staff reflect on the impact of decision-making have been missed.

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improvement to be good

The home’s location and premises suitability has recently been reviewed. However, the review does not include all the known risks in the local community. Furthermore, not all staff are aware of these risks. This means opportunities to ensure children are safeguarded against these community risks have been missed.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment procedures are not always followed. Concerns were highlighted in one member of staff’s references, however, they have not been thoroughly explored.

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improvement to be good

The child moving into the home requires additional support during the night. However, the home does not have adequate staffing to meet these needs. Agency staff will be used frequently to support the child at night. This could make it more difficult for the child to build relationships with staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff benefit from child-focused training delivered by the organisation’s therapeutic practitioners, who have also delivered clinical supervision for staff. This supports staff to understand how children’s lived experiences impact on how they might see the world.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager left their post in March 2026. An interim manager has very recently been appointed. The responsible individual intends to recruit a full-time manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management monitoring is ineffective. Senior leaders have increased scrutiny of some areas to help develop systems and processes to initiate change. However, in most areas, the impact of these processes is not yet clear. Some of the shortfalls identified at this inspection had not been identified through the existing monitoring arrangements. This has resulted in inconsistencies in driving standards to ensure stability and safety for both the staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The review of the quality of care details some areas of progress children have made. However, leaders and managers have not fully reflected on the impact of the support provided to children by staff. This means areas for further development have been missed. Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 5 The home’s statement of purpose is comprehensive in detailing how staff will meet children’s complex needs. However, leaders and managers are struggling to achieve its aims and objectives. The statement of purpose does not reflect the current staff team or their skills. The majority of the staff team are new. Leaders and managers have carefully recruited staff based on their varied skill sets. Given that no children have lived in the home since November 2025, the staff have spent time working in similar homes within the company to gain valuable experience. However, the staff who have remained working at the home during this period have not received regular supervision. One

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

member of staff received one operational supervision in 7 months. Leaders and managers reported that informal meetings had taken place, however these were not recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Two staff members have not yet been signed onto the appropriate qualification despite having 2 years’ experience in children’s homes. Leaders and managers have not reviewed staff’s experience and training to understand their development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say they feel well supported, and leaders and managers are approachable. Staff recognise the importance and impact of the in-depth induction training they receive. This helps develop their skills to care for children with complex needs. Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 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

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

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 15 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 29 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 7 promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 18 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 8 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b)(d) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)) 30 June 2026

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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: 2592750 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Schofield House, 1 Spar Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6BX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachel Watkinson

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Inspectors

Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Tam Musvaire, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2592750 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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