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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left the home and an acting manager has replaced her. The overall ability of the staff team to positively influence the girls’ individual outcomes and safeguard their welfare has tested staff resilience. This is due to a period of turbulence, caused by a number of significant events, which has impeded all of the girls’ individual progress. Examples include the effect of new admissions on the group dynamics, serious allegations against staff, untimely departures and the girls’ individual and combined challenging and risky behaviours that have impacted on them and others.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the concerns relating to child sexual exploitation, education issues, missing-from-care events, allegations against staff and challenging behaviours have been addressed with partner agencies, a number of other issues have come to light. This has contributed to the home’s declined effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no impact risk assessments to determine the suitability of the new placements to the home. Consequently, the means of assessing and evaluating the impact that placing particular girls at the home is likely to have on their safety and well-being, and that of others, has been missed. This has resulted in serious incidents, such as bullying and intimidation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management of one particularly serious bullying incident has presented lessons for the staff team to learn from so that they can improve their practice. Furthermore, written risk assessments following the serious bullying incident are void of an update. This does not promote robust risk management and safe monitoring practices of the girls’ activities that help staff to protect them. A further allegation of recent bullying, which was raised by one young person during the inspection, was retracted following an investigation into the concern.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of incidents have resulted in staff contacting the police to support them to deal with some of the girls’ challenging behaviours. This practice does not support the home’s statement of purpose, which indicates that staff have specific behaviour-management training and robust behaviour-management plans to support the girls’ challenging behaviours. Furthermore, Ofsted has not been notified about all serious events including those that involve police contact. This does not enable Ofsted to review and act on any of the specific safeguarding matters.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all medication has been managed safely. For example, the acting manager found that strong pain killers had not been administered to one young person as prescribed. Two tablets instead of one had been administered on at least two occasions. Although there is no evidence of any adverse outcomes to the young person, this unsafe practice could place young people’s health and welfare at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite a high level of staff sickness over recent months, the staff team has drawn from the casual staff pool, which ensures consistency and minimal disruption to the girls’ daily lives. However, not all of the girls share good views about some core staff. This does not promote mutual respect between the girls and all of the adults who look after them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The six-monthly review report of care practices compiled by the registered manager prior to her departure lacks quality, factual accuracy and strong evaluation. It does not drive forward improvements in service delivery or demonstrate how well the strengths and weaknesses are understood and tackled. The review report does not meet the regulations with respect to providing for consultations with staff, parents and professionals. Although this does not present harm to the young people’s welfare, it does not show how other people’s views influence service developments.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A newly appointed acting manager has been in post since November 2016. She is suitably experienced and qualified and is in the process of submitting her application to register with Ofsted. In light of the inspection outcome, senior management have given a firm assurance to investigate the issues and also undertake a full practice audit. This intends to deliver proper safeguards and help to avoid repeated incidents of poor practice. Included are plans for the staff team to undertake further training to help them to learn lessons from their experiences, which have fallen below the usual high standards.

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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 who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/05/2016 Full Outstanding 17/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/07/2015 Full Outstanding 27/01/2015 Full Adequate

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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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11: The positive relationships standard

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure

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11: The positive relationships standard

(a) that staff (viii) strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 28/02/2017

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12: The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, specifically in relation to effectively monitoring children’s safety and welfare, and ensuring that all risk assessments are updated following significant incidents, the registered person must ensure 2)(a) that staff (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 10/02/2017

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13: The leadership and management standard

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential, and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 10/02/2017

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13: The leadership and management standard

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of 10/02/2017 medicines received into the children’s home. (2) In particular the registered person must ensure that (b) medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child (Regulation 23(2)(b)). The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious (Regulation 40(4)(e)). This is specifically in relation to reviewing the safeguarding thresholds with respect to serious incidents in the home that involve staff contacting the police. 10/02/2017

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13: The leadership and management standard

In order to complete a quality of care review, with particular reference to compiling good quality, factually accurate and strong evaluative reports, the registered person must maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children;

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13: The leadership and management standard

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff (Regulation 45(a)(5)). 10/02/2017

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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