Children's home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Wakefield

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are cared for by a child focussed, committed and persevering staff team, who are well trained and experienced to meet their needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff work hard to form strong and trusting relationships with young people who have attachment difficulties after a turbulent past. Staff work to provide stability and support to young people into adulthood.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are kept safe, this forms a crucial part of their care.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are well supported to engage in education to improve their life opportunities into adulthood.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The new manager is clear on the strengths and weakness of the service and has vision and commitment to ensure shortfalls in the service are addressed without delay.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1) (a) (b)) In order to meet the regulation all looked after documentation must be held and include full and accurate details. 28/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4) (b)) In order to meet the regulation, all staff must receive supervision in line with the homes policy and procedures, and include practice related matters. 28/12/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  For children‟s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.8) In particular, that the lounge and hallway are kept in good decorative repair and the dining furniture is in good condition .

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Recommendations

 All children‟s case records (Regulation 36) must be kept up to date. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, that key and focussed work takes place in line with the homes policies and procedures reflecting the young person‟s care plan and any serious incidents.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must challenge (under Regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that the placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child‟s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.5) In particular, that the services admission and referral policy robustly sets out all the information required at the point of referral and that this information is complete prior to consideration being given to the a new admission. This is to ensure that the Registered Manager can verify if the home can meet the needs of the individual

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Recommendations

along with the group in line with the homes Statement of Purpose.

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have behavioural or emotional difficulties. The registered provider also runs a school. Young people living at the home can attend this school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

15/01/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Young people greatly benefit from being cared for by a staff team who are child focussed, committed and perseverant. Their aim is to support young people to have positive and new experiences that promotes their progress in life. Staff recognise the significance of building secure positive relationships with young people. They confirm that they get on with the staff and say that they are well cared for. They have staff that they are closer to and feel more able to share how they are feeling and any concerns. The building of secure relationships enables young people to trust staff. In turn, this allows young people to work through their difficulties, over time build their confidence and emotional resilience that equips them with the essential life skills.

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good

Young people are attending school with the strong support and direction from staff. There is importance given to their learning, with good relationships and communication with schools. This ensures that young people receive good opportunities to achieve and improve their life opportunities as young adults.

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good

Young people‟s health needs are well met, with all routine check-ups taking place. Staff work well with young people to promote a balanced diet and inform them of factors which will be harmful to their wellbeing. Positive work on healthy routines and lifestyles are on-going. Links and access to children‟s adolescent mental health provisions are being actively pursued. This is to ensure young people remain in good health.

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good

Young people gain considerable enjoyment from the social and leisure activities they can participate in. A young person said, „I love going ice skating, this is what I like best.‟ Young people have the opportunity to engage in several activities of their choice each week. Staff identify that this is essential, to widen young people‟s experiences, have opportunities to build confidence, friendships and develop interests.

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good

Young people achieve good independence skills over time, appropriate to their age and understanding. A young person is at the start of this journey, and is involved in tidying their own bedroom and helping with basic chores around the home. One young person has recently moved in to a semi-independence flat. The daily life skills learnt whilst living at the home have equipped them well to care for themselves. Judgement grade

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good

Young people greatly benefit from being cared for by staff that protect them and have been successful in keeping them safe. Staff are aware and implement safeguarding procedures. Missing from home incidents are rare. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding and follow the missing from home protocols when required. Risks have substantially reduced for young people that have had a history of going missing and have been in danger to sexual exploitation. This is a result of the staff implementing detailed support strategies and working with other agencies. This keeps young people safe.

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good

Staff work tirelessly with young people to address challenging and violent behaviour. They have secured other professionals to assist in supporting individual young people presenting difficult behaviour to ensure they understand and respond appropriately to meet the young person‟s needs. Young people‟s behaviour improves overtime, as they build strong relationships with staff, and feel more secure. Staff know each young person‟s vulnerability and consistently focus their care and support to reduce or eliminate these. This is reinforced by young people receiving positive incentives, clear boundaries and daily routines. Young people‟s good behaviour is rewarded through achievable goals. Physical restraint and sanctions are seldom used, and when they are, they are fair and proportionate. Focussed work with young people is undertaken to discuss, advise and reflect on events and areas identified in their care plans. However, these

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good

sessions are not all recorded to fully demonstrate that necessary work is being followed up with young people on all occasions. This does not ensure that young people have the opportunity to reflect and understand the impact and consequence of their behaviour and what can be done to prevent or reduce such incidents in the future.

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good

Young people profit from living in a safe environment, where fire, health and safety checks are regularly undertaken. Overall the home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. However, there has been recent damage to the decoration in the lounge, hallway and the dining chairs. This detracts from the good care given. It does not provide a well maintained and homely environment throughout where young people can thrive.

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leaders and managers

There has been a change of manager since the last inspection with interim management arrangements for three months. A new manager has taken up post and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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leaders and managers

The new manager has worked for over seven years with young people in other residential settings at a senior level. She is to undertake her Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management.

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leaders and managers

There have been shortfalls in the information received for new referrals to the home. The omissions included incomplete Looked after Children documentation including deficits in chronologies for young people. Therefore, this did not reflect the full care needs of individual young people prior to their admission. As a consequence, a young person has been required to move to another placement where their needs could be better met.

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leaders and managers

Staff work in a supportive and cohesive team. This is supported by regular communication forums, including supervision, staff meetings and daily shift handovers. However, not all staff have had formal supervision routinely carried out at intervals, in line with the homes policy. The quality of supervision is not consistently delivered to reflect on staff practice. Consequently not all staff are receiving appropriate supervision that enables them to focus on young people‟s experiences and care plans.

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leaders and managers

Young people are cared for by an experienced staff team, who have sound knowledge of how to care and keep young people safe. This is enhanced further with very good training opportunities. The vast majority of staff have completed their Level 3 diploma or are undertaking this qualification. This knowledge is further enriched by other mandatory and more specialist training. For example, behaviour management, first aid, safeguarding, self-harm and drugs awareness and child sexual exploitation. This ensures that the staff are equipped to meet the needs of young people.

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leaders and managers

The recommendation made at the last inspection has been implemented with the replacement of a shower door. This has improved the facilities for young people. The monitoring of the service is thorough. A number of audits are undertaken by the manager and staff to ensure that the standard of care provided meets the regulations. Monthly visits are undertaken and cover a wide range of areas including those required by the regulations. The safeguarding of young people is examined in detail and their progress and wellbeing is reported on. Recommendations are made to support the service to continue to strive to improve the care provided to young people.

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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.

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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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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

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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

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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 .

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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,

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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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

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