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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home provides good and consistent care to young people, but there is limited evidence at this inspection to demonstrate overall service improvement. At the last full inspection, three requirements were made. One requirement was made in relation to the poor standard of the building and physical presentation of the home. The home continues to present as poor in condition, both externally and internally, and so this requirement is not met. The efforts of staff to ensure a good level of decoration and personalisation cannot compensate for the poor structural quality of the building. The registered manager provided plans for extensive works to the building that will improve this home substantially; these plans await authorisation and the finalisation of dates for work to begin.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff demonstrate perseverance and determination to support young people into education, training, or employment. For some young people who experience significant obstacles to taking part in education, the staff work creatively to enable these young people to fulfil their potential. This includes using the skills of learning mentors and other agencies to create meaningful educational experiences, such as photography and artwork, for young people. One young person is making excellent progress with a local apprenticeship in a garage. He is relishing this experience, and he has made such a positive impression on his employer that he has received praise and been given greater responsibility. This young person remains on track to complete his apprenticeship successfully, and is growing in confidence and self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The emotional and mental health needs of young people continue to be a priority for the manager and staff. Consequently, young people receive the help and support they need. Some young people face significant challenges in relation to their mental health and the impact this has on their day-to-day lives. The manager and staff work effectively with the local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) to ensure that young people receive the assessment and therapeutic interventions they require. Additionally, the staff benefit from regular advice and support from a psychologist working with the service. This ensures that young people’s emotional and behavioural needs receive a great deal of discussion, and consideration is given regarding the best possible approaches to providing care for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and staff value the views of young people. The young people have a number of ways in which they can express their views and opinions regarding the care they receive. The manager and staff encourage young people to provide their views through regular feedback and through regular individual sessions with their key workers. The manager and staff act on the views of young people whenever this is possible. The manager and staff have written a good and informative young person’s guide. This is colourful and engaging and provides young people with crucial information about all aspects of their care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager responded robustly to two of the three requirements made at the last inspection that focused on making young people safer. The occurrence of young people going missing from care has reduced significantly. Staff now pro- actively seek information from young people regarding friendships, and their whereabouts when not at home. When young people are seeing friends, staff will phone them and check that they are safe, as any good and responsible parent would. The registered manager has improved relationships with partner agencies such as the police, and especially the local neighbourhood police and officers who deal specifically with young people missing from care. An area for further development remains the consistency by which interviews with young people who have been missing from care take place. The registered manager and staff have developed effective lines of communication with the families of young people, in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the event of a young person visiting their family. A second requirement raised, and now met, was for the home to have waking night staff to ensure that young people receive the monitoring required to ensure their safety at night, which is just as crucial as monitoring them during the day.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has completed a rigorous location risk assessment. The registered manager has harnessed the views of partner agencies and attends key local meetings that focus on specific areas of concern, such as anti-social behaviour. This enables the registered manager to be vigilant, and to complete risk assessments that keep young people safer in the community in which they live.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has responded effectively when young people have raised concerns over the conduct of staff. The manager has ensured strict adherence to local safeguarding children procedures and policy. Young people’s complaints and concerns are treated seriously, and young people are assured of this.

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a local authority. The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/05/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/10/2015 Full Requires improvement 19/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure-

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Requirement Due date

(2)(d)that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished in such a way that-

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Requirement Due date

(i)they meet the needs of each child 26/04/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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

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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