Children's home run by Derbyshire County Council in Derbyshire Dales

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 benefit from high-quality care provided by a committed staff team.  Education is a key priority. As a result, young people achieve excellent school attendance and make clear progress.  Relationships between young people, their families and those important to them are promoted and facilitated by staff.  Young people’s rights and entitlements are respected, they each have adults independent of the home to turn to and can access support from an independent advocate.  Young people’s confidence and self-esteem improve because they have new and varied experiences.  Young people have positive relationships with one another. The registered manager and staff create a settled and relaxed environment where young people live together happily.  The behaviour of young people is managed well. Staff are skilled at promoting positive behaviour.  Young people enjoy living in a pleasant, homely and comfortable

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The children's home provision is good because:

environment.  Care plans take into account young people’s identified risks and vulnerabilities. Staff members understand and implement these plans.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(a) that staff— (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. 18/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (4)(b)). 18/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure (Regulation 35 (3)(c)). 18/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there (Regulation 40 (4)(c)). 18/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The home should be located in an area that supports children's safety, well-being and personal development. The location of the home should support its aims, objectives and ethos, as described in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 32)

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority children’s home, which provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people with learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/10/2015 Full Outstanding 17/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/10/2014 Full Outstanding

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Good

This is a good home where staff members focus on providing high-quality care to young people. Staff work hard to provide young people with many opportunities to enhance their development. They do this by providing opportunity for stimulating play and activities that promote young people’s development. Young people make good and sustained progress. A social worker stated, ‘Overall, I am happy with the service provided by the home. They are spot on, never hesitate to contact me and communication is good.’ Young people maintain excellent school attendance. The registered manager and staff work in partnership with schools and have excellent communication through daily diaries and regular conversations between staff and teachers. Staff attend education planning meetings for young people at which realistic and achievable targets are set for school and home. Staff help young people to complete homework and positively promote school. A deputy headteacher stated, ‘Home and

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Good

the school work very closely. There is an open relationship that is very productive.’ This means that young people enjoy school and achieve well. Young people’s health and well-being remains a high priority for the registered manager and staff. A good and balanced diet is provided to young people. The registered manager regularly seeks feedback from young people about food choices. Exercise is well promoted with regular outings and outdoor play opportunities. Young people’s emotional and psychological well-being is supported by the local child and adolescent mental health service that provides direct support to young people, and also provides information and guidance to the staff team. Staff recognise the importance of helping young people to maintain relationships with family members. In order to achieve this, family members are given practical support to enable them to visit. Additionally, staff facilitate trips out for young

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Good

people and their families. Young people present as happy in the company of staff. They greatly benefit from excellent relationships with staff members. Staff provide compassionate, tireless care. One parent commented in a survey, ‘Staff bond well with my son and make him feel secure and loved.’ Staff provide young people with new, interesting and stimulating activities and continue to improve young people’s everyday experiences. The registered manager recognises the value of young people’s opinions and ensures that their rights are fully respected. He seeks the views of young people regarding the care that they receive. He writes letters to them regularly and young people receive support in providing their views. The registered manager uses the views of young people to improve the service. Young people have the opportunity to meet with an independent advocate who visits monthly. Young people know how to complain if they have grievances regarding the care that they receive.

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Good

Young people enjoy regular activities and trips out with staff members. These include visiting zoos and theme parks. They recently took a holiday in Wales. Because of having many varied experiences, young people develop confidence and grow in self-esteem. Young people’s individuality is recognised, valued and celebrated. Staff take a proactive approach to meeting young people’s needs arising from their race, background and culture. Staff complete individual plans and complete key work sessions with young people in relation to their religious beliefs and their ethnicity. For example, one young person is supported to attend church with his grandfather. This means that the young person can practice his faith, while maintaining his relationship with his grandfather.

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Requires improvement

Some staff members have not always reacted in a timely or robust manner to concerns of a safeguarding nature. In particular, when staff members were concerned over the behaviour of colleagues, they delayed reporting their concerns to managers for several days. This prevented the registered manager and other agencies taking quick and decisive action in response to the issue. The registered manager did not seek advice and guidance from the designated officer. Additionally, the registered manager did not provide Ofsted with a full and accurate account of the incident. This limits the ability of Ofsted to carry out its regulatory functions. To ensure the safety of young people and others, staff do have to use physical intervention. All physical interventions are proportionate to the circumstances and staff use approved methods in which they have received training. Following such interventions, staff receive debriefs to try to evaluate and learn lessons from the

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Requires improvement

incident. The registered manager has not ensured that communication routinely takes place with the young person about the physical intervention to obtain their views. This is a deficit because the young person’s views could provide important information. Young people’s behaviour is managed well by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team. Staff promote good behaviour by providing young people with praise when they behave well and using de-escalation techniques effectively. Staff try to manage situations and environments to prevent any anxiety that might lead to negative behaviours. A parent stated, ‘They keep my child safe and occupied doing things he enjoys. They give him stability and routine and structure to his day.’ The staff complete good behaviour management plans. These plans detail known triggers to negative behaviours for young people and set out how staff can manage difficult situations without escalation.

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Requires improvement

Young people benefit from living in a pleasant, homely and safe environment. They have their own flats, which contain a bedroom, living room and kitchen area. The home, decorated to young people’s tastes with many photos of young people and creative decoration and artwork, provides for a rich and colourful environment. For example, staff and young people have decorated the communal areas with a summer fresco. Young people relax and have fun in the sensory areas, ball pool and music room. The registered manager has recently updated the location risk assessment for the home. Although this takes into account the local area in which the home is situated, it lacks sufficient information from partner agencies such as the police and local council. The recruitment procedure for new staff is rigorous and ensures that only suitable people work in the home. Potential new staff members have their work history checked and references verified. This means that the risk of young

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Requires improvement

people coming to harm by those caring for them is minimised. New young people coming to live at the home benefit from comprehensive risk management plans completed by staff. These plans take into account the known risks and vulnerabilities of the young person, and the actions required to manage these risks. The registered manager and staff are conscientious when considering how young people will live together and consequently seek opportunities to improve the young people’s relationships. This combined with high staffing levels means that the risk of bullying is reduced and young people are made safer.

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Good

An effective and committed registered manager leads this service. He has worked at the home as the registered manager since January 2015. He is currently undertaking the diploma level 5 in leadership and management but already holds other relevant qualifications. A deputy manager supports him. They work together effectively to improve the service for the benefit of young people. The registered manager has a detailed knowledge of the young people and has good relationships with them. He understands their plans and knows the progress that they have made. He wants them to fulfil their potential in all areas. In order to achieve this, he ensures that all care plans are regularly reviewed and updated in line with their changing needs and abilities. Staff members consistently implement these plans. Young people’s care is provided by a stable, consistent and well-trained staff team. A good ratio of staff to young people affords staff opportunities to take young

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Good

people on outings and spend time with them individually. Staff members have individual development plans that set out their training needs. The majority of staff have completed or are undertaking the diploma level 3 qualification. However, the registered manager has not ensured that all staff receive regular supervision. Staff should receive monthly individual supervision in accordance with the home’s policy, but this is not consistently achieved and, in some instances, the frequency of supervision falls well below this expectation. The registered manager has a good grasp of the strengths of the service and areas for further improvement. Monitoring occurs through monthly visits undertaken by an independent visitor. The registered manager makes good use of these visits because they assist him to address shortfalls. The registered manager has recently introduced additional auditing processes for case files. This helps staff to identify

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Good

key dates for young people, and any missing information. The registered manager takes complaints by young people and others seriously. The manager addresses them in a timely and sensitive manner, seeking to resolve complaints to the satisfaction of all parties.

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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 that 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

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

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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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