Children's Home run by Derbyshire County Council in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 1 SC035976 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority and provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is little evidence that the home has made sufficient improvement in relation to keeping young people safe. In response to one significant incident, staff did not follow a young person’s safe-care plan. Staff allowed the young person to go out in the evening without agreeing the arrangements sufficiently beforehand, such as the time that the young person would be expected home, and without adequate means of communication with the young person. Staff failed to notify the manager in a timely manner when the young person did not return home, and staff did not seek any guidance. The young person was subsequently involved in a concerning incident in the community. The staff’s understanding of day-to-day safeguarding arrangements for young people, and working in accordance with the procedures of the organisation, is not good enough.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has taken quick and effective action to meet the statutory requirements Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 2 made at the last inspection. These actions have included the following:  The manager now ensures that criminal record checks are repeated every three years for staff. The manager follows safe recruitment practice.  The manager now ensures that there is sufficient information about the training, development and overall fitness of any agency or relief staff caring for young people. This is to make certain that they are able to provide the best possible care.  Behaviour management practices have improved. Young people and staff have the opportunity to debrief following any behaviour management incidents.  The manager now liaises with the police and other partner agencies when completing the home’s location risk assessment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people have seen improvements in their physical well-being since moving to the home. Young people are having their physical care needs met and they are feeling settled emotionally. Stability has helped young people to make progress in their education and training. One young person has made remarkable progress in attending college. Another young person, who had previously struggled to engage in education, has now progressed from a limited educational timetable to increased hours in education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people receive the help and the care that they need in relation to their emotional and mental health. The manager and staff benefit from regular access to advice and guidance from psychologists working with the service. Additionally, staff maintain good and effective relationships with partner agencies, such as child and adolescent mental health services. This helps to improve young people’s emotional and mental health.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have continued to smoke tobacco, and some have experimented with cannabis. Staff have provided help and guidance to young people through individual key- work sessions that concentrate on the harmful effects of tobacco and drugs. These individual sessions help to educate young people, and motivate them to reduce or cease harmful activities. Staff work to secure specialist services for young people, to help them address smoking and/or substance misuse and lead healthier lifestyles.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between young people and staff are good. Staff provide young people with a good level of support and nurture, and young people reported that they feel supported and cared for. One young person stated: ‘Staff are all great,’ and he also said of one particular staff member: ‘She is magic.’ This underscores the fact that staff spend time with young people and listen to them. Staff have regular individual meetings with young people and discuss matters which are important to young people, including friendships, living healthier lives, education, and worries or concerns. Following individual key-work sessions, staff will identify any actions that they need to take to ensure that issues or concerns raised by young people are addressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a home where there is a caring and warm atmosphere. The fabric of the house is inviting, comfortable and is maintained to a satisfactory standard. This home is not institutional in appearance, and young people have made the environment Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 3 personal to them. This adds to the overall positive, comfortable and homely feel.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people receive very good support when the time comes to leave the home and move on to independence. Preparation for this move takes place in good time and is well planned. Independence skills, such as washing, cooking, shopping and preparing meals, are promoted, and opportunities to practise these skills provide young people with the vital skills that they will need to live independently.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff receive regular supervision. Good training opportunities help staff to build upon their skills and strengthen working practices. This means that young people receive care from a well-trained and well-informed staff team.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Improved 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, 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 08/01/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 4 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is made in response to staff not following safe- care plans designed to keep young people safe, and staff not following the procedures of the organisation.

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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: County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AG

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Inspector:

Phillip Morris, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 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 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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