Children's Home run by Doncaster Children‟s Services Trust Limited in Doncaster

home are

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.2

The children's home provision is outstanding because

 Young people make excellent progress at the home. This reflects a significant improvement in their self-development, confidence and achievements.  Staff work consistently to ensure that any barriers to progress are challenged. They have a very clear understanding of each young person’s needs and work effectively with other professionals to make sure they get the support they need.  Care planning focuses on realistic, measurable outcomes for young people. There is robust management oversight to ensure young people are on track to succeed and take advantage of opportunities available to them.

p.3

What does the children's home need to do to improve?

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person's report to (a) HMCI (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 24/08/2015

p.3

Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by and independent Trust. It is registered to take up to four girls with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

people living in the home are

The home ‘seeks to provide a positive group living experience, allowing children to develop positive relationships, build their social skills and enable children to achieve positive outcomes’. The home excels in delivering on this element of their Statement of Purpose, helping young people to achieve significant progress and prepare them for the world of work and higher education.

p.5

people living in the home are

Young people experience very fulfilling lives in this home. The majority have lived at the home for some time and have made excellent progress in their education, psychological well-being and self-esteem. They use their spare time constructively to learn new skills, enjoy new experiences and to help others through fund-raising activities. Importantly, they have begun to believe and invest in themselves.

p.5

people living in the home are

They have a lot of opportunity to do the kind of things teenagers like to do, such as going abroad on holiday, having ‘pamper’ nights, taking driving lessons and having boyfriends. One young person has successfully embarked on an apprenticeship; another is a high achiever at school and has ambitions to go to university. These are accomplishments which may not have been envisaged given their ‘starting points’ at the home.

p.5

people living in the home are

The nurturing, affectionate and caring relationships that young people have with staff is a key factor in helping them to thrive above and beyond initial expectations. Staff get to know young people extremely well, over several years in some cases. They have seen children grow into young adults. As a result they are highly attuned to young people's histories, personalities and needs. This provides young people with a very secure base of stability and trust.

p.5

people living in the home are

Support for emotional and psychological health needs is excellent and has significant impact on young people's emotional resilience and well-being. Young people are valued. They are made to feel that they are unique, special individuals who are worthwhile, who can overcome adversity and make something of their lives. Contact with family and friends is managed well and always with young people’s safety and well-being in mind.

p.5

people living in the home are

Young people who are new to the home get off to a very good start because of careful planning and preparation. Staff - and other young people - set the tone in terms of expectations around behaviour, attitude towards each other and commitment to work and education. Young people are very good role models for each other in this respect. The Statement of Purpose highlights that education, in all of its forms, is the cornerstone of personal growth and development. To this end, arrangements have been made for one young person who is new to the home to have additional maths and English lessons throughout the summer holiday. This is in preparation for a return to full time education and the young person feels that this will be helpful.

p.5

people living in the home are

Young people enjoy good health and keep up to date with their routine examinations, often organising these independently. They take pride in their appearance and keep healthy through the activities that they engage in, such as swimming and horse riding.

p.6

people living in the home are

Young people get good support as they move towards leaving care and the next stage of their lives. They are acquiring the skills they need to look after themselves and are reaping the benefits of earning a salary and gaining further qualifications.

p.6

people living in the home are

This is a happy, calm and comfortable home where young people’s views are valued and acted upon both in their day to day lives and longer term care planning. The high standard of décor and furnishing communicates to young people that they are valued. The home is well-resourced in terms of food, activities and holidays, transport, toiletries, spending monies and clothing. This enables young people to enjoy excellent standards of care and the same kind of experiences as their peers in the community.

p.6

people are helped and protected

Young people live in a harmonious environment and have respect for each other. They generally keep to boundaries set for them. Staff help with this by establishing effective friendly relationships with young people, while making behavioural expectations clear and unambiguous.

p.6

people are helped and protected

Young people feel safe and secure here. They have a clear and respected voice in the home, in meetings and when developing their care plans. With the support of staff they use their initiative to find constructive and rewarding things to do in their spare time. As a result they feel no need to involve themselves in risk-taking behaviours such as running away from the home or involving themselves in substance misuse.

p.6

people are helped and protected

There are no concerns about sexual exploitation, but staff are well-versed in the procedures to be applied should this arise. As part of everyday life staff discuss with young people the risks that may arise in relation to exploitation, along with what constitutes normal and fulfilling relationships with the opposite sex. This helps to raise awareness without creating unnecessary alarm.

p.6

people are helped and protected

There are sufficient staff to ensure each young person has an adult they can talk to and do activities with alone. Most young people have an independent visitor who provides an additional opportunity to talk things through with someone outside of the home.

p.7

leaders and managers

The Registered Manager is a qualified social worker and holds an NVQ Level 4 in Management. She has managed this home for over two years and has managed other children’s homes during a long career in residential care.

p.7

leaders and managers

The Registered Manager has had some planned absence since the last inspection. During this time the home’s interim management arrangements have been very successful. The deputy manager has ensured that all aspects of the home’s Statement of Purpose is fulfilled and has been particularly instrumental in securing significant progress and experience for young people.

p.7

leaders and managers

The staff team take a calm, thoughtful approach to their work and promote a model of positive parenting. They work very effectively with family members and other professionals. They are all very experienced, well-qualified and have a repertoire of skills which they employ to help, guide and support young people.

p.7

leaders and managers

Staff feel that their own support and supervision is good. They have found training on autism and advice from mental health workers to be particularly useful. This ensures they can provide young people with the individually-tailored support they need.

p.7

leaders and managers

The manager ensures that monitoring is effective in helping to maintain high standards within the home. Action plans have been successfully implemented to address the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. These related to procedural and recording shortfalls, setting measurable objectives, support to young people preparing to leave care and capturing the voice of the child. These improvements have clearly benefitted young people and have made a real impact on the quality of care they receive.

p.7

leaders and managers

A requirement is set at this inspection to address an administrative shortfall, which resulted in Ofsted not consistently receiving the independent visitor’s report. This has no impact on young people as the manager had addressed the actions raised in the report. Arrangements should reflect the new regulatory requirement which places responsibility on the independent visitor to send their report to Ofsted.

p.7

What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.9

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

p.10

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.11

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.11