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

Outstanding

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.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The girls live in an exceedingly good home where they continue to thrive.  The girls‟ strong relationships with staff allow them to express their wishes, feelings and any concerns without fear or favour.  Strong safeguarding practices consistently promote the girls‟ safety and welfare. Good collaborations with other professional agencies ensure effective risk reduction that protects the girls‟ vulnerabilities.  Clear routines, boundaries and well-integrated bespoke services meet the girls‟ emotional, social, behavioural and developmental needs.  Education is highly valued and supported. All of the girls have high levels of attendance in school and college and their hard work and achievements are recognised and awarded.  The girls indulge in a range of leisure activities that provide them with opportunities to develop in confidence, showcase their talents, broaden their experiences and have fun.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The registered manager‟s instinctively aspirational and proactive leadership is ambitious for the girls to succeed. She provides strong leadership and motivation to an experienced, committed and resilient staff team. They share the manger‟s vision to improve the girls‟ life chances and receive the appropriate support to deliver high quality care and protection.  Professionals speak favourably about the staff team and how their interventions improve the girl‟s outcomes.

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Information about this children's home

An independent trust operates this children‟s home and its registration enables them to take up to four girls with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

The staff team‟s practice consistently exceeds the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, to „provide a safe, nurturing, caring and homely environment for each child. Issues and concerns affecting both their past and future can be positively addressed and supported.‟ Staff go the extra mile to motivate the girls towards reaching their goals and realistic potential. Their natural warmth and the affection shown towards the girls show that they care and invest in their successes, no matter how big or small. Positive parenting sets the benchmark for expectations and this has contributed to the girls‟ relatively settled phase in a home that they like. An independent reviewing officer said, „She sees (the home) as her home and sees herself staying there‟ and „(name) has made significant progress since she first moved in – emotionally, behaviourally and in terms of her communication – and she presents as comfortable and “at home”

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Outstanding

when I visit‟ and „She is getting something more from the home than in other placements.‟ The quality of the girls‟ individualised care is exceptionally good. A social worker described a girl‟s care plan as „very robust‟. Care plans take into account the girls‟ culture and diverse needs, ensuring a tailor-made service that engages them in their care. The team‟s extremely effective expertise, in collaboration with other professionals, ensures that the girls continue to thrive. Some excellent relationships shared between the girls and staff promote trust and warmth, enabling the girls to express any concerns or worries. Staff are sufficiently familiar with the girls‟ personalities to be able to identify changes in their moods, specifically if their communication is limited. The more vocal girls are confident in expressing themselves without fear or favour. Staff listen to their wishes and feelings and act on their views as appropriate. The girls‟ access to independent

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Outstanding

visitors and other professionals provides an additional means for them to speak up. One girl who is involved in the children in care council has opportunities to contribute to issues that impact on children Looked after children. Complaints are infrequent and one girl expressed satisfaction with the handling of her complaint. These actions put children‟s rights firmly at the centre of care practices in the home. All of the girls‟ school and college attendance is consistently high and their hard work is recognised and suitably rewarded. This ranges from those who significantly achieve as „gifted and talented‟ to those who continue to need additional support due to their developmental disability. One girl has maintained high educational attendance and engagement from a starting point of poor attendance and attainment. Her social worker describes this as a, „Huge improvement.‟ Bespoke packages ensure that the girls „buy into‟ the importance of a good education, which

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Outstanding

improves their self-esteem and future career prospects.

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Outstanding

The girl‟s engagement in a plethora of stimulating and creative activities provide them with opportunities to develop in confidence, showcase their talents, broaden their experiences and have fun. This includes attending the youth club, horse riding, playing musical instruments and visiting places of interest. One girl who was reluctant to take a holiday enjoyed herself to the extent that plans are in place for her to go away again with staff. One of the girls has shown a compassionate spirit by donating her hair to a children‟s cancer charity towards the production of wigs.

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Outstanding

The girl‟s holistic health needs get the uppermost care and attention, which provides a „wraparound‟ service. This includes their prompt access to primary and specialist health care services. For instance, interventions from a play therapist and the children and adolescent mental health services support the girls and staff team, sharing strategies to help manage the girl‟s specific needs. The support and information shared with the girls with respect to sexual health and smoking cessation enables them to make fully informed choices with the knowledge about the risks to their health and wellbeing.

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Outstanding

Staff actively encourage the girl‟s appropriate contact with family and friends, which enables them to maintain their cultural and heritage links with important people in their lives.

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Outstanding

Most of the girls have acquired useful skills that will serve them well when they move into independence. Those who need additional support develop self-care skills under the supervision of staff who acknowledge the challenges ahead. An independent reviewing officer said „Staff are aware that we need to start thinking about options post 18 and how we support (name) to make a successful transition into adulthood, which is no doubt going to be a challenge.‟ A young adult who recently left the home continues to be a frequent visitor around her work schedule. The manner in which she is accepted and her comfortable demeanour mirrors that of a child returning to their parental home. The home is located in a residential area with good transport links that facilitate the girls‟ access to a variety of resources. It provides a safe and pleasant space for the girls to relax in and they can feel proud to invite friends and family over to

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Outstanding

visit. Photos of the girls around the home shows that their presence is valued and makes for a homely environment. In addition to the new blinds and curtains in communal areas and the girls‟ bedrooms, a refurbishment programme plans to further enhance the girls‟ living conditions. Judgement grade

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Good

Young people feel safe and are safe. One of the girls who rates their safety as ‟10 out of 10‟ confirms this. Strong safeguarding practices consistently promote the girls‟ safety and welfare. The staff are acutely aware of their unique vulnerabilities, which makes them vigilant and highly responsive to any potential safeguarding concerns. There are no current child sexual exploitation issues. As such, professionals consider the girls to be safe. An independent reviewing officer said, „Staff talk to (name) about safe care and they are conscious of (name) vulnerabilities.‟

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Good

Effective risk management strategies protect the girls from identified dangers to their safety and well-being. Staff adherence to individualised risk assessments and agreed changes to the girls‟ plans, in partnership with other professionals, secures the girls‟ optimum protection. High staffing levels and safe premises ensure the girls‟ good supervision and enhances their sense of safety.

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Good

Missing from care incidents have significantly reduced over recent months. On the recent occasion when a girl left the home without authorisation, staff followed the agreed protocols with the police. Staff actively searched for the girl and made contact on her mobile phone ensuring her safe and well return. Independent return home interviews provide the girls with opportunities to discuss their reasons for going missing.

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Good

The manager and staff quickly and decisively inform social workers and independent reviewing officers of any incidents relating to the girls‟ safety and welfare. Appropriate contact with the designated officer enabled an allegation made against staff to reach a considered and transparent conclusion. As set out in the statement of purpose, the techniques used for managing challenging behaviour ensures „that children have the opportunities to understand and learn from their actions‟. Clear boundaries and routines, coupled with the staff team‟s patient and empathetic approach towards the girls‟ moods and behaviours prepare the staff manage, de-escalate and divert any challenging conduct. A social worker said that the team has „A good management plan‟. A number of staff have completed a replacement behaviour management training, which positively reinforces how they interact with the girls when they are unable to self-regulate. A

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Good

staff member said, „I loved the training. It just made sense that behaviour is linked to feelings.‟ Rewards promote positive behaviours, which makes for the infrequent use of restraint. Incidents of restraint have good management oversight, which ensures its safe and translucent use. Bullying is not an issue that the girls currently experience. They have resolved their differences with staff support and live together with minimal conflict.

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Good

There have been no changes to the staff team since the last inspection. Having regular and known staff provides the girls with consistency in the care of trustworthy adults.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has returned to the home following a period of absence. She has been in charge of running this home since 2013. She has a strong track record, having worked for 23 years in residential settings and has 15 years of management experience. She is a qualified social worker and holds an NVQ level 4 in management. The manager shows instinctively aspirational and proactive leadership and is ambitious for the girls to succeed. She supports the open communication and innovative culture of the team, which „thinks outside the box‟. It is this culture which has resulted in the girls‟ excellent overall experiences and progress. Her in- depth knowledge and understanding of the girls‟ profiles and the challenges they face help her support the staff team to provide high quality bespoke care. A competent deputy, senior staff and staff team aid the manager in her role. The girls benefit immensely from life in a well-resourced home that delivers solid

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Outstanding

services and support that meet the statement of purpose and ethos: „Founded on principles which promote the development of meaningful relationships between staff and children based on the core values of mutual respect and good parenting, respectful to the values of privacy, dignity, independence, choice, rights and fulfilment.‟ A well-established, resilient, motivated and committed core and relief staff team strives for consistency and maintains a focus on the girls‟ personal targets and goals. This keeps the girls safe and helps them to understand the team‟s expectations for them to be the best that they can be. Professionals speak in complimentary terms about the staff team. One social worker said, „She is doing brilliantly. I have been (name‟s) social worker for three years and she has had several placements, she could not settle anywhere and I knew that (the home) had a good reputation.‟

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Outstanding

Staff feel well supported. One staff member said, „We have got good support systems.‟ A highly qualified and experienced staff team deliver the girls‟ care with genuine skill and flair. The team members complete up-to-date mandatory training, which enables them to ensure that their practice is current and relevant. For example, the recent online training raises awareness about radicalisation. In addition to this, regular handovers, team meetings and supervision help the team members to reflect on the impact of their practice. One staff member said, “We are gaining some fantastic results.”

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Outstanding

The manager and team closely monitor the girls‟ care plans, targets and goals in consultation with them and in accordance with their wishes and comprehension. This maintains a keen focus and coherently evidences their progress. The staff team‟s prompt detection and counter responses to regressive behaviours ensure that the girls get back on track with minimum disruption. Effective internal and independent management monitoring of service delivery in the home addresses any weaknesses and builds on its strengths. Feedback in the form of written and verbal communication between the staff team, professionals and some families makes a valuable contribution to the girls‟ significant development from their starting points. Strong relationships between the home and partner agencies maintain the girls‟ future prospects and keep their interests at the heart of care planning. An independent reviewing officer said, „Staff communication with myself is very good.

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Outstanding

I can call or email and get prompt responses and they provide me with updated progress reports for (name) in particular. They are generally very good at providing reports for review meetings.‟

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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 children looked after 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

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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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