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 good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both requirements and the three recommendations raised at the last full inspection have been fully met. This demonstrates the home’s capacity to improve and to take practical, proactive steps to improve the short-break experience for children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Much-improved external monitoring reports provided by the independent visitor are thorough and evaluative. These rigorous and meaningful documents promote children and young people’s well-being and safety. The manager has completed a comprehensive consultation process with all parties involved in the home, including children, young people, staff, parents and professionals. That information has been utilised productively as part of his improved internal monitoring systems to benefit children, young people and staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Excellent new ‘Children’s guides’ are available in both photographic with word and symbol forms. These ensure that all children and young people, whatever their age or level of understanding, receive full information about the home prior to their admission.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team members have all either received or are booked on a specialist course for training on the prevention of child sexual exploitation. In addition, all the staff have now achieved the requisite Level 3 qualification. This, plus their increased understanding as to the importance of maintaining clear and accurate records for children and young people, have increased their skill and knowledge base. As a result, a fully trained and supported staff team which is able to meet their needs care for children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The committed and efficient manager attained registered manager status in August 2016, having managed the home since January 2016. He is aspirational for the children and young people in his care to be happy, safe and achieve to the best of their ability. He has worked extremely hard to improve care and outcomes. This has included working together with senior managers from the trust to ensure that parents are fully informed and able to play a more active part in planning for their child’s care. The active participation of parents and family members, coupled with the impressive partnership working with local schools, ensure that children and young people receive consistent messages empowering them to make real progress in their personal development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a young person has moved from having respite breaks to living in the home on a short-term basis. This accommodation by the home provides the young person with a safe place in which to live while a permanent foster placement is found to meet his needs. The well-planned nurturing care that the young person receives has enabled him to settle and start to make significant progress. His newly developed understanding of the importance of personal hygiene and bathing daily has led to a growth in self-esteem and feelings of self- worth. He now takes pride in his appearance and enjoys dressing smartly to attend school. This improves his future life chances while enriching his day-to-day experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has also started to take children for short breaks from a young age. This is planned very carefully to allow children to feel safe and to be comfortable in the home before they stay overnight. These careful and sensitive introductory visits empower children to engage with staff. The manager said: ‘A new six-year-old has just started coming. He has had nine tea visits to get him used to the home. In the first four weeks, he was able to sit at the table with the other children. This was a massive step for him, and his parents were over the moon.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people enjoy their short breaks in a comfortable and spacious home that is well equipped to meet their diverse and complex needs. The recent addition of an excellent sensory room provides even more choice for shared experiences or quiet time alone. Bedrooms are individually prepared for children and young people’s arrivals, promoting a sense of welcome and security. The communal rooms are bright and colourful, with seasonal decoration on the walls, such as art work and posters in preparation for Mother’s Day. A staff member said: ‘One of the ways in which I feel he had shown that he now owned and felt he belonged here was that at night before bed he would put out all of the battery candles and turn out the lights.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The safely enclosed garden has a range of play equipment. The anticipated addition of a large climbing frame will provide children and young people with more choice. The committed and proactive staff team has also started to prepare an area for the development of a sensory garden. Children and young people thrive in this stimulating atmosphere, allowing them to have fun with their friends. A taxi driver wrote in the compliments book: ‘When I turn in to this road with [Name] he giggles and claps and he doesn’t do that anywhere else.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of staff support and encouragement, children and young people are empowered to engage in social interaction in a way that they would not otherwise have been able to. This includes in-house activities as well as attendance at local soft-play centres. This promotes inclusion and expands children and young people’s horizons. The experienced and enthusiastic staff team provide children and young people with consistent, well-planned care. Staff report positively about the improvements in their support and supervision, which enable them to have more of an understanding of their role and responsibilities. High staffing levels ensure that children and young people receive the one-to-one care that they need. However, staff are pulled away from their principal role as carers, as there are currently no cooks to provide meals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Stringent safeguarding procedures employed by the manager and staff assure the protection of children and young people. Detailed recordings are made of each incident and are robustly monitored by the manager. Two ‘Serious Untoward Incidents’ have taken place since the last inspection. One involved a medication error and the other the aggressive behaviour of a parent. The excellent use of reflective practice by the manager with the staff team enabled the implementation of new procedures as a result of the valuable lessons learned on both occasions. In addition, the development of a new ‘Code of Conduct’ ensures that all parents are clear on what is expected of them when they enter the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have not been any missing episodes since the last inspection. The newly developed missing procedures and reporting forms mean that staff would know what to do if a missing episode were to occur. In addition, the proactive manager has ensured that the staff understand the risks posed by child sexual exploitation and how to identify and protect children and young people from that.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Robust risk assessments and comprehensive behaviour management plans ensure that staff understand each individual’s unique and diverse behaviours. Consequently, occasions when restraints are used are rare. When physical intervention is necessary to protect children and young people from violence or to prevent the individual from harming themselves, the well-trained staff use appropriate methods. The manager’s robust monitoring of each event allows for proactive action to prevent further episodes. For example, calling a strategy meeting with a child’s social worker and mother to identify and implement safe strategies. Children and young people are safeguarded by these measures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children, young people, their parents and other interested parties are kept informed about the complaints procedure. Children and young people have the added benefit of being able to call on the services of independent advocates to assist them if they wish to make a complaint. There have not been any complaints, apart from one from a neighbour about parking issues. The resourceful manager swiftly dealt with this, allowing the home to maintain positive relationships with its local community. This enhances children and young people’s sense of belonging.

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Information about this children’s home

A trust runs this children’s home. It provides short breaks for up to 10 children or young people who have physical and/or learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/05/2016 Full Good 18/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/08/2015 Full Requires improvement 11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Statutory Requirement

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet 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

Arrange the appointment of a cook to ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(d)) 18/05/2017

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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. Whenever 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 whom 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 0300 123 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, work- based 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

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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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