Children's Home run by BREAK in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 1 SC040191 Registered provider: BREAK

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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 run by a registered charity and provides long-term care for up to 2 children who may have social, emotional and behavioural support needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since April 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home and spoke with the inspectors.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2025 Full Good 17/02/2025 Full Good 06/09/2023 Full Good 12/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, the children have made progress from their starting points. The children benefit from positive trusting relationships with a dedicated staff team. The staff show curiosity and a strong commitment to the children’s individual needs. This helps the children to feel valued and listened to. The children enjoy a wide range of activities inside and outside the home. Children attend education provisions that are tailored to their needs, and the staff encourage structure and daily routine. Leaders and managers know the children well and are strong advocates for them. Children experience warm, consistent care at a supportive home. This helps them to feel safe and build emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is divided into 2 semi-detached properties offering solo accommodation for 2 children. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out and one child has moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care that reflects their interests and preferences. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their tastes, which helps them to develop a sense of ownership and comfort. The home is decorated with pictures of children and staff throughout. This creates a nurturing, family atmosphere that supports children’s sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built trusting relationships with children. They know the children well and demonstrate caring interactions. Observations of staff and children show a relaxed rapport that is positive, warm and nurturing. This provides children with a strong and secure foundation that has contributed to their positive progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. The staff have the children’s best interests at the forefront and look for creative solutions when faced with educational challenges. 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 give lots of thought to opportunities for children based on their hobbies and interests. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, including music, cadets and trips out into the community. Staff create enjoyable activities at the home to meet children’s sensory and creative needs, for example a designated wall space where children can freely be creative.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Behaviour is managed fairly and consistently through natural and restorative approaches, with consequences clearly linked to actions and positive choices recognised. This balanced and nurturing practice helps children learn from their behaviour, make safer decisions, and experience positive routines within a supportive home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 4 Professionals provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about the care and support that children receive. They highlight strong partnership working and note that children have made progress from their starting points due to the nurturing care provided by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are some areas of the home that are not accessible to children, including a toilet and a wardrobe. This restricts children and limits them to develop autonomy and independence.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the children’s needs, including their strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are detailed, regularly reviewed and include clear support strategies. These contribute to children’s consistent care.

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

Both children have court restrictions that limit how they can go outside the home. These restrictions are in place to keep the children safe. Staff are responsive to these restrictions and incorporate children’s changing needs. The staff work flexibly to help the children take age-appropriate risks.

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

When children struggle with their emotional wellbeing, staff take effective action to keep them safe. This sometimes includes physical intervention, which is only used when staff have exhausted all other options to help children manage their safety. Incidents are reviewed and staff and children have conversations afterwards that support reflection and learning. This helps children to feel reassured and strengthens staff confidence. Leaders and managers respond swiftly to concerns about staff practice. Immediate safeguarding actions are taken when necessary. Managers ensure that children’s safety remains as a priority throughout any investigation. Learning from incidents is used effectively to strengthen practice. Supporting records show thoughtful and consistent use of the therapeutic model, supporting children to feel understood and to build trusting relationships. However, the records are not consistently written in a child-friendly or strength-based style.

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

The home’s security does not always support the children from avoidable risks. Fire extinguishers are kept in locked rooms except for one that is situated in the kitchen. There is no rationale in the risk assessment about having these in a locked room, although staff know where they are in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A manager has been appointed and holds the relevant level 5 qualification. She has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. The inspection was led by the manager supported by 2 deputy managers and the responsible individual. Combined, they provide good leadership and management of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 5 The manager is ambitious for the children and the development of the home. She understands the strengths and weaknesses and is starting to effect positive change. She demonstrates a strong understanding of the children’s individual needs and consistently implements child-focused practice. This approach is starting to strengthen the quality and stability of children’s daily experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal and external systems to monitor and record children’s behaviour, progress and overall experiences. Leaders and managers regularly identify areas for continuous development to attune children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager values the staff team and invests in staff’s professional development. She provides regular team meetings that offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities. A clinical therapeutic lead brings further expertise to these meetings and provides additional support. As a result, therapeutic practice is starting to be embedded, understood and delivered by staff. These approaches are making a positive difference to children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a range of training to help them to understand children’s needs and how to best support these. New staff benefit from a detailed induction. Overall, the team is well trained to meet children’s complex needs. Bespoke training is offered to all staff based on the children’s individual needs. This helps staff to respond to children’s complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose has not been updated and shared with Ofsted. Therefore, the current workforce, their experience and qualifications and the staffing structure are not reflected, which limits Ofsted’s understanding of the home’s operation. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. They should ensure that recording of incidents is clear and detailed about what actions staff take to support children and when. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home complies with relevant health and safety legislations. In particular, the registered person should ensure that fire extinguishers remain accessible at all times. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that, just as in a family home, children are able to 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

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Recommendations

to safeguard each child in the home. Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area 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 1, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that the staffing structure and the experience and qualifications of staff are included in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: SC040191 7

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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

Sallie Bloomfield, Social Care Inspector Tam Musvaire, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040191 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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