1. Commissioners’ Conference
Helen Humphreys HMI, Specialist Advisor for Residential Care
July 2017
22nd November 2016
Boarding schools 2017

2. Session will include Social Care Common Inspection Framework
The significant changes to settings
How providers can prepare for inspection
Questions
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3. The social care common inspection framework (SCCIF)
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4. Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF)
The SCCIF applies to inspections of:
children’s homes, including secure children’s homes
independent fostering agencies
boarding schools and residential special schools
voluntary adoption agencies
adoption support agencies
residential family centres
residential holiday schemes for disabled children
further education colleges (residential provision).
NASS Feb 2017

5. Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF)
Although inspections of each type of service have unique elements, we think that all social care inspections should be governed by a shared set of underpinning principles.
Inspections should:
Focus on the things that matter most to children’s lives
To be consistent in our expectations of providers
To prioritise our work where improvement is needed most
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6. The social care common inspection framework (SCCIF)
The inspection methodology is based on the common principle of focusing on the experiences and progress of children, while addressing the unique and distinct aspects of each type of setting
we apply the same judgement structure across the range of settings listed above
the experiences and progress of children and other service users, wherever they live or receive help, are central to inspections
there are key areas of evidence that we usually report on at each inspection
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7. SCCIF – the judgement structure
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people*, taking into account:
How well children are helped and protected (limiting judgement)
The effectiveness of leaders and managers (graded judgement)
*Inspections of adoption support agencies, voluntary adoption agencies and residential family centres will also consider the experiences of adult service users
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8. Limiting and graded judgements
The judgement about how well children and young people are helped and protected will be a limiting judgement – if this area is inadequate, then the overall ‘experiences and progress of children’ judgement will always be inadequate.
The effectiveness of leaders and managers is a graded judgement – if this area is inadequate, this is likely to lead to an overall ‘experiences and progress’ judgement of inadequate and certainly not a judgement that exceeds requires improvement
By making these judgements limited and graded, we are now explicit about something that was at least implicit in previous frameworks
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9. Key messages The SCCIF does not mean ‘one size fits all’
The evaluation schedule and guidance reflects the differences between settings to ensure we are able to look at the right evidence on inspection – we will avoid, where possible, unnecessary differences
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10. SCCIF
Each setting type has its own version of a core SCCIF document, including:
Information about the SCCIF, including principles and required evidence
Guidance for inspectors
Evaluation schedule, including required evidence
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11. The social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) – evaluation schedule
The core of the evaluation schedule is based on a set of common descriptors, that are tailored to each setting type – if not relevant, it will not be included for that setting
Where necessary, specific evaluation criteria has been added to these common descriptors to ensure we look at the right evidence at a particular type of setting
For example panels in fostering and adoption services, governing bodies in schools
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12. What are the key things we will look at
Overall progress and experience of children (possibly adults)
Their safety and protection
The effectiveness and impact of leaders and managers
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13. Key changes
Children’s homes- no change- other than remove some details from the grade descriptors
Good and outstanding homes will usually be inspected once per year
Schools- change in judgement structure
Limiting judgement for safeguarding
Clearer on action to be taken if judged inadequate
Case tracking is the core inspection activity
Emphasis on the role of governors
Greater scrutiny on safeguarding (KCSiE)
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14. Fostering Reduced notice time- from 10 days to 2
Change in judgement structure
Limiting judgement for safeguarding
Clearer on action to be taken if judged inadequate
Case tracking is the core inspection activity
May not visit foster carers in their own homes/speak to children via the phone/skype
Emphasis on the role of, panels, leaders, managers and decision maker
Greater scrutiny on safeguarding
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15. Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Adoption Support Agencies
No change to notice time- waiting to see what happens………..
Change in judgement structure
Limiting judgement for safeguarding
Clearer on action to be taken if judged inadequate
Case tracking is the core inspection activity
May not visit adopters/prospective adopters in their own homes/speak via the phone/skype
Emphasis on the role of, panels, leaders, managers and decision maker
Greater scrutiny on safeguarding
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16. RFC- case tracking and quality and effectiveness of assessments
Residential Family Centres, Holiday schemes, Accommodation for young people aged in FE colleges
RFC- case tracking and quality and effectiveness of assessments
Holiday schemes, lighter touch, reduced fee, annual inspection, emphasis on children having an enjoyable holiday and they are safe
FE colleges, case tracking, emphasis on the added value of staying in halls, effectiveness of leaders, managers and governors and greater scrutiny on safeguarding. (KCSiE)
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17. Case tracking /case sampling
Inspectors will select a small number of children to look at in detail; their overall experience and progress at the setting
They might then look at a few more in less detail – at particular themes-(case sampling)
They will talk to the child, staff, parents, professionals……..
They will look at relevant documents, plans, reports and anything you have which demonstrates progress and or positive experiences
This will look different in every setting
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18. Numbers! (inspection data is based on data on 6/7/17- and subject to change daily)
Children’s homes % judged good or outstanding
Children’s homes also registered as a RSS % judged good or outstanding
Schools % judged good or outstanding
Fostering % judged good or outstanding
Adoption services % judged good or outstanding
RFC % judged good or outstanding
HSDC % judged good or outstanding
FE colleges % judged good or outstanding
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19. Inspection ready
Overall progress and experience Do children make progress at your setting- how do you know Do they have opportunity to take part in a range of positive experiences What is the quality of day to day living What is the quality of relationships with staff Do children who require specialist/additional support receive it and is it effective –how do you know Are children listened to and are their views taken into account The bulk of evidence will come from talking to children, staff and parents, professionals supported by any ‘paper evidence’-
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20. Safeguarding Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015
whether safeguarding arrangements to protect children meet all statutory and other government requirements, and promote their welfare
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015
Keeping Children Safe in Education September 2016 –(Schools)
Have a copy, follow the guidance and ensure your staff also know about this (signing to say that they have read it is not enough)
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21. Safeguarding and well being
Missing
Child sexual exploitation- including, peer on peer abuse, grooming, gangs,
E-safety, sexting, phishing-keep up to date
Weapons- BB guns, knives
Radicalisation-
Forced marriage, FGM, honour based killing, abduction
Self harm/eating disorders
Mental health
Domestic violence
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22. Safeguarding
Staff training is up to date and that they can recognise and know what to do about safeguarding concerns
Children say that they feel safe and have some one they can talk to if concerned- this may be a parent or relative
Settings are not isolated places where children have no means of contacting anyone from outside
DSLs/heads/managers have positive relationships with LADOs, Children’s services and child protection managers, they escalate if their concerns are not recognised
Bullying/peer on peer abuse is recognised and dealt with
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23. Effectiveness of leaders and managers
Good leaders and managers know what is going on in their home/school
The progress their children are making
Their strongest and weakest staff member
Their vision
Their weaknesses and what action they are taking to address them
The value of partnership working
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24. Common themes
Staff don’t know the children well and understand their behaviour and recognise need
Risk assessments and managing risk
Effectiveness and impact of external and internal monitoring
Quality of care planning- staff thinking this means quality of paperwork
Quality, qualification of managers and staff
Up to date relevant training
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25. Questions and queries
Any questions and queries
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26. Contact details Any further comments to socialcare@ofsted.gov.uk
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