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

Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 1 SC481439 Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A children’s trust operates this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 A new admission to the home took place even though it was assessed that the individual was not a good match for the group already resident.  Staff are not always able to manage young people’s aggressive behaviours, which is having a negative impact on the other young people in the home.  Sanctions imposed for negative behaviours do not always enable young people to reflect on the consequences of their actions.  Ofsted has not been notified of all significant events.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A resilient and committed staff team strives to maintain consistent care for young people.  All young people have identified education provisions. One young person is making significant progress at their education provision Young people who settle in the home make positive attachments to staff.  Good care planning informs proactive, collaborative working with partner agencies, which allows young people’s identified needs to be met.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Good 11/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/05/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure – that staff – encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone. (Regulation 11(2)(a)(iii)(iv)) 25/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure – that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(2)(a)) 25/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

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(e)) 02/08/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  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 an 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) Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 4  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover

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Recommendations

the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.3)

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improvement to be good

The young people initially placed together were making good progress and enjoying positive relationships with each other. However, the introduction of a fourth young person, in an emergency and as a result of no alternative placement being available , has destabilised the equilibrium in the home. The local authority acted in accordance with the young person’s wishes by bringing him back to his home town. However, the negative impact of his admission on other young people living at the home was underestimated. Those that can are spending increased time with family members, with the full support of staff members. This maintains their connection to the home.

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improvement to be good

All of the young people in this home have returned to live in their home town after being cared for out of county. As a result of this positive move, young people have re- engaged with family members and rebuilt community and cultural links. Young people do occasionally cause considerable damage within the home. However, the manager ensures that repairs take place swiftly. As a result, young people live in a spacious, comfortable home where staff make considerable efforts to meet their needs. A parent said, ‘This is much more homely than where he has been before. It’s like a proper home, not a children’s home.’

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improvement to be good

Young people’s care and placement plans are detailed and thorough. They provide clear guidance on the care provided in order to meet young people’s needs. As a result, where young people are working with staff and partner agencies in line with their plans, they are making good progress. However, not all young people are currently engaging with the staff team, not only inhibiting their opportunities to achieve, but potentially sabotaging the experience for the other young people. A social work team manager said, ‘Initially it was working quite well, but the mix [of young people] at the moment is having a massive impact on my young people and on [name’s] well-being. If they are able to resolve those it will be a good place for him.’

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improvement to be good

Although professionals report positively about the care provided by the home, and say that young people had been making good progress, they are concerned about the current group of residents having a negative impact on each other. Nevertheless, collaborative working with all partner agencies involved in young people’s care ensures that a consistent approach is implemented, enhancing young people’s opportunities to succeed. Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 5 Young people’s progress and engagement with learning is inconsistent. Some young people refuse to attend their education provisions’, which could negatively affect their future employment opportunities. The staff’s knowledge of one young person’s individual vulnerabilities has led them to work with the local authority to find a more suitable school to meet his needs. Another young person is progressing extremely well in school and has aspirations to go on to further training. A social worker said, ‘He has

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improvement to be good

matured a lot and seeing this as his home is very important for him. He’s in education and that is really important for him.’

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improvement to be good

Young people are registered with generic health providers. They attend all of their appointments with the support of the staff. Good, collaborative working with specialist practitioners, including dieticians and mental health professionals, allows young people the opportunity to make progress in improving their emotional and physical health.

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improvement to be good

Young people have diverse skills and abilities, and are at different stages in their transition process to adulthood. Their individual plans identify the stages they have reached and the progress they have made. This allows for further tailored support, in line with young people’s abilities, to be implemented to meet their needs. A staff member said, ‘I encourage them, put your dirty clothes in the bin, if you spill something wipe it up and budgeting. It’s giving them life skills.’

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improvement to be good

Young people’s experiences in the home are varied. Some have a clear attachment to the staff, enabling them to make significant progress in their lives. One resilient young person said, ‘Something just clicked in me because of what they [the staff] had been saying and this is my home. I don’t want those problems anymore, I’ve got a future and I want it.’ However, this experience has been marred by the behaviours of other young people. The children’s trust is taking proactive steps to address this situation and improve outcomes for all young people by moving some individuals into more suitable placements.

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improvement to be good

Some young people report that although they know staff will keep them safe, they do not always feel safe. This is because of the bullying behaviours of another young person towards them. This has led to some young people absenting themselves from the home to stay with family members. The staff team is very supportive of these family placements and maintain them as interim arrangements while the situation is addressed. Some young people demonstrate a firm attachment to the staff and the home, and want to return to live there. A young person said, ‘This is where I want to be, in this home, until I am ready to go out and live independently.’

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improvement to be good

The home’s comprehensive safeguarding plan provides clear guidelines for staff, including relief and agency workers. This is complemented by individual safety plans for young people. Very good risk assessments identify young people’s diverse vulnerabilities and how staff can mitigate these. As a result, the majority of young Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 6 people learn how to keep themselves safe and develop an understanding of why adults may be concerned about their behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff now impose sanctions to address young people’s negative behaviours, but too many have been financial in nature. This does not allow young people to reflect on their behaviours, make reparation or develop an understanding of consequences. One young person said, ‘I’m not bothered [about receiving a financial consequence] because I always get money anyway.’

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improvement to be good

There have been some missing episodes since the last inspection. The proactive staff team actively searches for young people, and have built up a comprehensive picture of who their friends are and where they may be when they are not in the home. This information, which feeds into young people’s individual risk assessments, includes whether or not a young person is at risk of child sexual exploitation or radicalisation. These measures help to safeguard young people. However, discussion with young people following such events is not as thorough as it could be and it is not clear whether they are always able to speak with an independent person if they wish.

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improvement to be good

The home’s comprehensive behaviour management policy works in conjunction with young people’s individual crisis management and care plans. However, at present some of the young people are refusing to abide by any positive plans. Staffing levels have been increased to manage concerns, but the overt aggression and intimidation, from one young person in particular, is having a negative impact on the other young people. This has also resulted in tension in the local community as there have been complaints from neighbours. A senior manager from within the placing authority is actively supporting the manager by listening to and addressing the neighbours’ concerns. This proactive response and joint ownership is helping to alleviate the concerns in the local community.

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improvement to be good

All staff are suitably trained in physical intervention techniques. The appropriate recording and monitoring of restraints provide young people and staff with the opportunity to reflect upon and learn from the incidents. Young people are safeguarded as a result.

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good

The manager attained registered manager status for this home in April 2017. She has over seventeen years’ experience of working in a managerial position. She is appropriately qualified and her extensive experience, resilience and commitment to the role contribute towards motivating the staff team. The manager knows the young people in her care well. She is ambitious for young people to succeed to the best of their ability and works collaboratively with partner agencies to ensure that they receive all they need in order for this to happen. A staff member said, ‘[Name] is a great manager and she always listens to you. I feel really well supported.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 7 The recommendation regarding the award of sanctions for negative behaviours has not been fully met and a requirement in relation to supporting young people to understand the consequences of their behaviours has been imposed. The manager has however

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good

met the requirement made at the last inspection in relation to developing clear behaviour management plans for each young person. These now tie in with their achievement goals and demonstrate the home’s capacity to improve.

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good

The manager uses her knowledge of young people, plus their progress plans and achievable goals, to carefully mark the progress they are making. All successes are celebrated with individually targeted rewards, for example a driving experience, which provide young people with incentives and encouragement. This knowledge also allows leaders and managers to recognise when a young person has been inappropriately placed in the home and identify further placements for them to move to.

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good

The application of effective local authority recruitment processes ensures that people who may pose a risk to young people do not care for them. The core staff members are experienced and skilled, with all holding the requisite level 3 qualification. The behavioural issues in the home at present have had an impact on staff, with increased levels of sickness absence and support needed from relief and agency workers. The use of the same workers provides consistency for young people. Relief staff report that they receive the same level of supervision as their permanent colleagues. All staff members spoken to say that the support they receive enables them to fulfil their role. A parent said, ‘The staff here are much better than they were in [name of young person’s previous care home]. They make me feel welcome and they understand [name of young person] and treat him with respect.’

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good

Thorough and evaluative external monitoring reports contribute to the promotion of young people’s safety and well-being. The manager’s internal auditing processes, which in turn feed realistic development plans, complement the monitoring reports. Consequently, the manager is able to address any shortfalls, for example in staffing levels, for the benefit of young people. Positive relationships, including appropriate professional challenge where necessary, between the manager and staff and all partner agencies promote a holistic approach to young people’s care.

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good

However, not all relevant information is notified appropriately to Ofsted, for example the extent of the bullying incidents in the home. This does not provide the regulator with the opportunity to have a comprehensive overview of care.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose provides appropriate detail about the care to be provided. One of the home’s aims relates to supporting young people’s individuality, as it states: ‘A child’s cultural background is fundamental to their identity and as such needs to be maintained and encouraged.’ Young people’s return to their local area encourages them to embrace and take pride in their heritage. At the same time, however, the appropriate challenging of offensive language or racist attitudes helps young people to understand difference and promotes equality and diversity positively.

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good

The manager works hard to obtain young people’s views and encourage them to Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 8 participate in decision-making around their care. At present, this has meant that some young people do not want to stay in the home all of the time because of the behaviours already referred to. The fact that their wishes are being met and supported demonstrates to young people that their views are valued and assists them in growing in self-esteem. A staff member said, ‘He’s really matured here, and now wants better things for his life. It’s almost like him seeing [name of young person] the way he is, has made him realise he doesn’t want to be like that.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blue Building, 38 40, High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

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Inspector

Ann-Marie Born: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481439 10 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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