1. National Sensory Impairment Partnership/Learning Event
Welcome
National Sensory Impairment Partnership/Learning Event
Helen Humphreys HMI
National Lead for Residential Care
November 2015

2. The differences between residential schools framework
and children’s homes framework,
common pitfalls,
How to avoid ‘inadequate’ judgements
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3. Children’s Homes Children’s Homes are regulated settings
This means that they are registered with Ofsted
Have to comply with Children’s Homes Regulations
Ofsted can take a range of enforcement action if they don’t comply, including compliance notices, restriction, suspension, cancellation and prosecution.
Children’s Homes are inspected at least twice per year

4. The regulatory framework
Care Standards Act 2000
Children’s Homes Regulations
Guide to the regulations (revised NMS)
Revised regulations set out clearly what homes should achieve by adding new Quality Standards to the regulations.
The Quality Standards each have a high-level, child focused, ambitious outcomes statement with specific underpinning requirements that homes must meet to achieve the standard.
We will make requirements and enforce against the regulations.
NMS are revised to become a Guide to the regulations. The document doesn’t contain standards or objectives as the NMS did currently (because these are in the new regulations). Instead it explains and supplements the regulations.
We must have regard to the Guide when inspecting. There is now a clear connection between the regulations and the Guide, helping to increase clarity for providers and Ofsted alike.

5. Children’s Homes
With the exception of short break settings, children’s Homes look after- ‘Looked After Children’, as defined by the Children Act 1989
Vary in size, location, what they do, who they care for….
One bed- many beds-
Secure estate
Short breaks
RSS registered as Children’s Homes
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6. The judgements
The overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in the home taking into account:
how well children and young people are helped and protected (limiting judgement)
the impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers
Over a 4 point scale-
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement (to be good)
Inadequate

7. How do we inspect? We inspect against the evaluation schedule
We use the grade descriptors to determine the judgement
We use the Regulations, The Guide to the Regulations and Quality Standards and other guidance/legislation to raise requirements and make recommendations.
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8. What are the key factors?
Care planning is key - are children and young people’s needs being met across all aspects of their development? How well? Are they having positive experiences? Are they making progress? Are they safe? If not, why not and what is the home doing about it?
The statement of purpose is key - does the home know what it does and does it do it well? Does it know which children and young people it is able to help and make decisions on this basis? Does it structure itself (the environment, the staffing levels, the ethos etc.) and support its staff through training and supervision to achieve its aims and objectives? Does it deliver what it says it would?
Leadership is key - is there strong and effective leadership (at all levels where an organisation)? Does the registered manager know the strengths and weaknesses of the home? Do monitoring systems make a difference?

9. The new framework and methodology
Defines what good is like
Move from adequate to ‘requires improvement’
Looking for good - if better than good, is it outstanding?
If not yet good - how serious are the weaknesses and what is their impact on children and young people?
Methodology is focused on tracking children and young people, talking managers, staff, young people, other professionals
Full inspection- 2 days on site
Interim inspection up to 1 day on site

10. Residential Special Schools
Department for Education is the Regulator
They are not regulated settings
How the DfE operate varies on the type of school
Vary in size and location, what they do and who they look after
Not all children are LAC
RSS have to comply with NMS
Ofsted inspects on behalf of the DfE, at least once per year and more if requested

11. Make the same judgements on a 4 point scale
Inspection Framework
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people
The quality of care and support
How well children and young people are protected
The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers
Make the same judgements on a 4 point scale
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12. How do we inspect? We inspect against the evaluation schedule
We use the grade descriptors to determine the judgement
We use the NMS and other guidance/legislation to make recommendations.
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13. Methodology
Observations and talking to managers, staff and young people
Observation of key activities
Records and documents
Talking to others including parents and professionals
Inspection of premises
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14. Common pitfalls or lessons learnt
Make sure you can meet the needs of the children you accommodate
If you widen your admission criteria, make sure that you re-train your staff, review your policies and procedures
If the school is a RSS- but operates as a BS- can you meet the needs of vulnerable children, in particular supervision and safeguarding
Where a school accommodates significantly more children of one gender than the other- are needs being met/are they safe
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15. Lessons Learnt
School isolation- how easy is it for parents/professionals to get there- does this discourage them
What happens to children if they complain
Who is related to who- does this make children safe
Role of nursing staff- independence, clinical supervision, opportunity to meet with other nurses, CPD
What is the default position for managing behaviour – is it restraint?
Where does the residential part of the school ‘sit’ within the hierarchy of the school?
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16. Inadequate
RSS-
There are serious and /or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted, safeguarded or if their care and support is poor and they are not making progress
Children’s Homes
As above!
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17. Meeting requirements
If you are meeting these you won’t be inadequate………..
Regulations
NMS
Evaluation Schedule
Grade descriptors
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18. What makes somewhere inadequate
Leaders and managers don’t know what’s going on
Can’t answer basic questions/lie to inspectors
Premises are unsafe- fire, maintenance………..
Staff can’t answer basic questions about the young people, procedures
Setting is run for the benefit of the staff
Weak recruitment and selection practices
Children aren’t safe or their welfare is not promoted
Level of care means that children will not make progress or have a positive experience-
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19. How to avoid inadequate
Good leaders and managers know the strengths and weakness of their setting and have a plan to improve
Good leaders and managers are visible to staff and young people
Good leaders and managers make best use of their resources
Good leaders and managers always have safeguarding at the forefront of their minds
Good leaders and managers want the best for their young people and set high aspirations
Good leaders and managers have appropriate records and not paperwork to ‘feed’ Ofsted
Good leaders and managers keep up to date
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20. How to avoid inadequate
Good leaders and managers are inspection ready!
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21. Any questions?