Children's home run by Derby City Council in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 1 SC397293 Registered provider: Derby City Council

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Full 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. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum and/or have learning disabilities. The current manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2018 and has been in post since 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

One compliance notice was set as a result of the last interim inspection in February 2018. This related to staff recruitment procedures. The compliance notice has been fully met. Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/08/2017 Full Good 30/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 3

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Recommendations

 Managers should ensure that suitable outdoor play equipment and resources are provided for young people at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.24)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive highly personalised care and support from staff. They learn how to do things for themselves. This includes making simple meals and drinks. They feel valued and their confidence increases over time. One parent said: ‘My child has blossomed since living in this home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have a say in how the home is run. Staff respond quickly to any issues that they raise. An independent advocate visits the home each month. The advocate works with staff to ensure non-verbal young people’s views and needs are also fully considered. The advocate has recommended that improved outdoor play facilities are provided. Managers need to ensure that the recommendations made by the advocate are considered and acted upon.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people learn independence skills. One young person is very proud of being able to make simple snacks and drinks in the kitchen with staff support. It is evident that there is good planning for young people’s move to adult care services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend school regularly and make positive progress. Staff work well with education colleagues to provide consistent support in both settings. Young people take part in a range of fun and stimulating activities. This increases their learning, confidence and sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff fully support young people to keep in touch with family and friends. This includes supervising visits in the home and other venues. Staff also work well with parents and carers. One parent said: ‘I am always kept up to date about my child. Communication is very good from staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use imaginative methods to elicit the wishes, views and feelings of non-verbal young people. This informs care plans and targets for young people. Staff display a detailed and commendable understanding of young people’s histories and progress. It is evident that young people make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good health care and support, including specialist assessments and detailed healthcare plans. Staff advocate for young people’s complex needs to be Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 4 met by health colleagues. Close partnership working is evident and leads to young people’s complex needs being well met holistically.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide high levels of support and supervision to young people. Parents state that staff keep their children safe at all times. One parent said: ‘I never worry about my child, I know he is safe at all times.’ Staff support young people to become more independent over time. They enable them to take age-appropriate risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand the complex needs of young people very well. Risk assessments and plans reflect the current and changing issues. Young people learn how to manage their own concerning behaviours more positively. There have been no missing-from-care incidents reported. Staff understand what action they must take in the event of a young person going missing.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff consider the potential risks to young people and how they can reduce them. This includes the use of the internet and social media. Staff do direct work with young people to educate them on social media and internet safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people live in a safe and secure environment. Regular checks of the premises ensure that there are no risks to young people.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff recruitment processes have been improved since the last inspection. Management monitoring is now more robust. This prevents unsuitable people from being recruited to work at the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are confident and competent about safeguarding issues. They follow agreed procedures and protocols well. They understand the importance of reporting any concerns about a young person’s safety quickly to managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has several years’ experience of working in similar settings. She has a clear and positive vision for young people. She wants them to do as much and as well as possible. Staff feel valued and well supported by the manager. They feel she has enabled them to develop their skills. Some staff take on lead roles and clearly enjoy this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has worked hard to address the identified shortfalls from the last inspection. She has made significant improvements to staff recruitment procedures. She has devised and implemented new systems for recording staff training. She has revised recording practices for the use of body maps and risk assessments. She has implemented new systems for ensuring that young people’s privacy is protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager seeks the support and input of other agencies/professionals. She is keen that young people receive the help they need in a timely manner. This includes the involvement of the independent advocate and leaving care workers. She wants to ensure Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 5 that planning for young people’s move to adult services is timely. Parents really value this approach, as they feel anxious about the future for their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and training opportunities. They report feeling very well supported in their roles. They feel able to ask the manager for additional training. They feel confident in their requests being taken seriously and acted upon by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Independent reviewing officers speak very highly of the staff team and manager. They report young people making positive progress in all areas of their lives. They witness very empathetic care being provided by staff. Communication is seen as a key strength by both professionals and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management monitoring of the services provided is good. The manager has a good oversight of all aspects of the care and services provided. She uses feedback from the independent visitor to inform and address any issues.

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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

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: SC397293 6

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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(s)

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC397293 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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