Children's Home run by Derby City Council in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC488596 1 SC488596 Registered provider: Derby City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has moved out of the home since the last inspection. This was a planned move. The young person was involved in identifying accommodation and was supported by staff to make a successful transition to supported living. There have been no new admissions of young people to the home since the last inspection. The manager is keen to establish routines and boundaries for those young people currently living in the home and understands the need to ensure that changes of placement are only made following a statutory review being held.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One member of staff is now enrolled on the level 3 diploma course and due to start in the near future. All staff have either completed, or are studying towards, the relevant qualification. This will ensure that the staff have the skills necessary to perform their roles. Inspection report children’s home: SC488596 2 The manager has made concerted efforts to secure suitable educational provision for young people. Consultation has taken place with education providers and the virtual school head and a meeting is now planned to consider young people’s needs. The manager and staff have devised education timetables for young people. These set out the expectations for young people to engage with home tuition and other activities during the school day. Despite staff trying to promote the value of education, young people’s engagement is limited. Home tutors and education providers continue to visit the home to try to engage young people each week, pending more formal educational

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff work with other agencies and professionals to try to secure the support and services needed for young people. Staff try to promote the engagement of young people with education, health and youth offending professionals. Staff attend meetings to consider the specific needs of young people and they plan how those needs can be met. When there are concerns about how young people’s needs are being met, the manager pursues these concerns with agencies and professionals.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has worked closely with the local police to agree clear protocols and processes for responding to incidents of young people who go missing from care. This has led to a more proactive and timely response by agencies. Missing-from-care risk assessments include more detailed information to assist staff and agencies in trying to secure the young person’s safe return.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incentive charts provide young people with an opportunity to consider and improve any concerning behaviours. They can earn additional money each week or treats for positive behaviours. Staff focus on encouraging and supporting positive behaviours, rather than imposing sanctions for concerning or risky behaviours. Young people often refuse to read their placement plans or engage in discussion about the support and care provided to them. Staff try to encourage them to be fully involved through the use of formal and informal discussions on a daily basis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improvements could be made in relation to the recording of consultation with young people. Records of consultation do not provide clarity regarding what the agreed actions are following discussions with young people. Improved recording would enable staff and managers to better evidence how they support young people. Information held in the daily files for young people is also unclear. The home’s placement plan for one young person was very out of date and did not reflect recent changes to their care needs. A more recent placement plan was located in another file elsewhere. There is a need to ensure that records and files are clear, up to date and objective.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An area for development is for staff to improve their awareness of the need to report any actual or potential safeguarding concerns to managers. One record viewed during the inspection did not demonstrate how potentially concerning information provided by a young person was shared with relevant managers and agencies. This did not relate to a young person living in this home. Regardless of this, managers need to ensure that all staff understand and follow safeguarding procedures. Immediate action has been taken by managers in respect of this issue, but further work needs to be done. Inspection report children’s home: SC488596 3 The privacy of young people is still not appropriately protected. Identifying details of the location of the home are still easily accessible, which undermines young people’s right to privacy and security. Senior managers have failed to respond to this requirement and it has been reset as a result of this inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/08/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirement

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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

Ensure that the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21(a)) 30/11/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records are clear and objective. In particular, staff should not only record in consultation documents what young people say, but what action staff may need to take in response. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.4)  Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to be alert for any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. In particular, this relates to the need for staff to promptly report information shared with them with Inspection report children’s home: SC488596 4 managers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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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 differences 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Treasurers Department, Council House, Corporation Street, Derby DE1 2FE

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC488596 5 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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