Children's Home run by In Safe Hands Care Ltd 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:

 Young people make remarkable progress in different areas of their lives.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The highly dedicated staff team provides excellent, consistent and nurturing care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people develop trusting relationships and form strong attachments to staff.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people become physically fit and benefit from healthy living and improved sleep patterns; their weight is stabilised.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people have numerous opportunities to express their views and opinions and contribute towards the day-to-day running of the home.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff keep young people safe at the home and in the community. They help young people develop self-protection skills and strategies to keep themselves safe.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people are no longer going missing from home or self-harming. There is no offending behaviour or drug or alcohol misuse.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The manager is highly motivated, enthusiastic and leads by example. An equally skilled and experienced deputy manager supports him.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The eclectic staff team provides positive role models for young people and brings a diversity of experience.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a review of the quality of care provided for children, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(5)) Specifically, the registered person should introduce a system that collates the feedback obtained from others about the home. 15/02/2017

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, or moving to another placement, adult care or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, when the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned and managed by a sole provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who have emotional and/or behaviour difficulties. The registered provider has recently changed the premises. The registration of the new home was granted on 18 May 2016. This is the first inspection of the children’s home at its new premises.

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Outstanding

The current young people have lived at this home since its opening and transferred with the staff team following a period of stability at the previous setting. The long- standing staff provide young people with stable, trusting relationships and help them to form strong attachments. Young people openly and honestly address any issues that arise. A professional said, ‘Staff are absolutely outstanding. (Name of young person) has developed good and respectful relationships. There is nothing they wouldn’t do for him going over and beyond what they need to do.’

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Outstanding

The highly dedicated and committed staff provide excellent consistent and nurturing care and know the young people’s diverse and holistic needs exceptionally well. This contributes to significantly improved outcomes. Young people continue to make remarkable progress in different areas of their lives over a sustained period. Numerous photographs and certificates demonstrate their individual achievements.

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Outstanding

Staff work alongside health professionals so that young people’s emotional well- being and physical health needs are fully met. One young person is learning to self- medicate, which provides him with some control over his own life.

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Outstanding

Dedicated staff provide young people with everyday exploratory and learning opportunities, using educational and research materials, informal discussions and key working sessions . They tackle complex issues sensitively. One young person is struggling to adapt after a change of school. Staff offer practical help by supporting the young person within lessons. Young people are kept motivated to engage with education. Close proactive work with professionals promotes a consistent approach, and there is a reduction in negative behaviours in different settings. Staff are persistent and challenge decisions to ensure that young people receive the best educational provision in line with their needs.

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Outstanding

Positive role modelling has enabled one young person to become a representative for the children in care council. He speaks to professionals about issues that affect young people in the care system and receives remuneration for his attendance at meetings. This has resulted in improved self-esteem and increased confidence, alongside improved employment opportunities.

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Outstanding

Staff offer young people considerable opportunities to experiment with hobbies and interests. Sport and exercise is encouraged through attendance at physical activities. Young people are educated about their diets. They become physically fit and benefit from healthy living and improved sleep patterns; their weight is stabilised.

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Outstanding

Young people who previously struggled with peer relationships develop and maintain friendships in the community. This helps with their social development. Young people have new experiences and learn directly about other cultures through going out for meals and on overseas holidays together. They form positive relationships with each other, become more tolerant, and there are no bullying episodes.

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Outstanding

Staff encourage young people to take part in their care planning. The staff members’ positive and enthusiastic approach helps young people to recognise and take pride in the progress that they are making. Staff provide young people with numerous opportunities to express their views and opinions. The young people contribute towards the day-to-day running of the home, and feel listened to and that their opinions are valued.

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Outstanding

Staff support young people practically and emotionally to have regular and increased contact with family members. For one young person, this meant that he was able to attend a family wedding, providing him with valuable memories. One family member said, ‘When they pick (name of young person) up from contact it is like he is going home to his family.’

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Outstanding

Young people benefit from the increased space in the new home and garden. Their bedrooms are highly personalised. They have pets, including snakes, fish and ferrets. This helps foster emotional, cognitive and social development as it teaches responsibility and encourages nurturing. Young people have a strong sense of belonging.

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Good

Risk assessments clearly identify actual and potential risks, with detailed safeguarding measures followed by staff. Their safeguarding knowledge and practice, together with excellent monitoring systems, keep young people safe at the home and in the community. Staff members’ awareness and understanding of the risks young people face together with their strong positive relationships contribute to risks being minimised. Young people develop an understanding of dangers and risks through structured key working sessions. They develop self- protection skills and strategies to keep themselves safe. Young people do not go missing from home. There is no self-harming or offending behaviour, and no drug or alcohol misuse. Young people are not being sexually exploited. Staff are vigilant, and ongoing training provides a good awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse.

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Good

Detailed, individualised behaviour support plans ensure that staff are aware of the strategies to use when addressing young people’s negative behaviours. Staff have not used any physical interventions or sanctions. This is because of their consistent approach and their reflective practice, alongside effective communication and engagement techniques. These all help to de-escalate any negative behaviour.

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Good

Staff act as positive parental role models and young people have improved self- awareness and are less impulsive. When talking about a young person, a professional said, ‘He now knows how to cope in emotionally stressful situations and has developed self-regulatory skills. Staff at the home have had a real role to play in developing his skills.’

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Good

The manager gives careful deliberation to new referrals. He considers the existing young people’s complex needs and the impact on them of having another young person living at the home. This ensures that there is minimal impact and disruption to young people who are settled and safe.

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Good

The locality risk assessment and established links with the local neighbourhood response team provide staff with the necessary intelligence about the area. Safe recruitment practices are in place. There is good management oversight with ongoing observations of staff members’ practice and varied staff rotas to ensure a good mix of staff skills and experiences. Staff are clear about whistle-blowing procedures, and young people know how to complain. These all offer young people additional protection.

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Good

The registered manager was originally registered at the previous home in March 2011. He has been proactive at securing the move to the new premises, which were registered in May 2016.

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Good

He has extensive experience of working in residential care, is skilled and has the necessary qualifications to undertake the role. The manager undertakes additional training and development to add to his skills and knowledge. This includes receiving mentoring and supervision from an experienced professional.

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Good

The manager is highly motivated and leads by example. He is enthusiastic and enjoys working with the young people, who have a close relationship with him. A family member said, ‘(Name of young person) looks at the manager as a father figure.’

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Good

The manager has the support of an equally experienced and qualified deputy manager. They make a cohesive team, and staff benefit from their expert guidance and advice. Clear, detailed and transparent records identify the progress that young people make. This is further enhanced by staff setting new targets and helping young people to work hard towards achieving new goals.

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Good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision and feel fully supported. Team meetings take place and have a reflective element to them. Additional meetings tackle specific practice issues to ensure consistency of practice among staff.

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Good

The forward-thinking manager is already training new staff to ensure that they are able to meet the needs of any new young people admitted to the home. Staff are dedicated, and there has never been the need for agency staff. The young people benefit from the continuity of care provided by the stable staff team.

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Good

The staff team provides positive role models for the young people, alongside bringing a diversity of experience. The manager said, ‘Matching staff is equally as important as matching young people. In order for the young people to develop, staff are recruited who have eclectic skills to offer young people new experiences.’

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Good

Communication with family and professionals is excellent, with young people benefiting from good multi-agency working. One family member said: ‘Staff will call and I am able to ring them about anything.’ Alongside regular dialogue, staff provide detailed written information about young people to their social workers, helping to keep them fully informed. This assists with care planning.

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Good

One young person is at only the early stages of developing independent living skills. In order for young people to develop emotional and mental resilience as well as increased practical skills, the manager recognises that more structured work and monitoring are necessary and would prepare young people for their transition to living independently.

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Good

The independent visitor provides a high level of external scrutiny. The manager is committed and focused to ensure that young people receive the best quality care, and have the best possible experiences and opportunities made available to them. He undertakes a review of the quality of care provided for young people. A system to collate the feedback from the young people, their parents, placing authorities and staff would identify any shortfalls and would assist in continuous child-centred improvements.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 that 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 children looked after 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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