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Inspection report children’s home: SC437069 1 SC437069 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The service provides short breaks for up to six young people, aged between 10 and 17, who may be of either gender and who have moderate to severe learning disabilities/physical disabilities. The young people may have additional sensory impairments and disabilities. A local authority owns and manages the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC437069 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2017 Full Outstanding 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/09/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC437069 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

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 07/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(b)(iii)) 07/06/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events. Staffing structures should promote continuity of care from the child’s perspective. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make excellent progress because they receive outstanding help and support from staff. Staff understand each young person’s developmental needs. Consequently, staff optimise available opportunities during short breaks to help young people make notable progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have an extensive knowledge of young people’s communication needs. Therefore, they communicate effectively with young people. This has enhanced processes for consultation across the service, leading to some excellent new developments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff support young people’s families through an outreach service that Inspection report children’s home: SC437069 4 is operated in addition to the short breaks. The manager also canvasses the views of families following young people’s breaks. If parents or carers express concerns, the manager will meet with them and resolve any problems immediately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work very effectively with partner agencies, particularly health professionals, schools and social workers. This ensures that all agencies work extremely well together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are aware of the care needs of young people because the manager completes exemplary care plans. The manager develops these plans through discussions with partner agencies, families and the staff. Staff have an exceptionally good understanding of young people’s plans and implement them consistently.

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

Young people’s behaviour is very well managed. The manager has recently introduced processes to help staff have a better understanding of young people’s previous life experiences. This will enhance the already exceptionally well-developed behaviour management plans.

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

Staff have an impressive understanding of all safeguarding issues. They also understand their role when working as part of a multi-agency core group of professionals. They attend child protection meetings and understand how to support families in difficult circumstances. Staff also know when to take action to protect young people.

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

The manager ensures that the environment is safe. Recently, the manager and staff have found new and creative ways for young people to be involved in fire drills. This has helped to overcome some young people’s complacency about fire evacuation procedures.

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

The service recently identified that a minor medication error had taken place. This resulted in no harm to the young person. The manager ensured a robust response, with additional training for all staff and a tightening of procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and very experienced, but is currently working at another service. This is having no detrimental impact on the quality of provision because two deputy managers are managing the service very well, but action is required to ensure that the day-to-day operation of the home is overseen by a registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers encourage young people to develop the service. This has resulted in the staff and young people making improvements that include planting trees in the grounds and creating a very impressive ‘rock art’ pathway to the gardens. Young people and staff have greatly enjoyed this experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that all staff receive professional supervision frequently and to a Inspection report children’s home: SC437069 5 high standard. The staff greatly value the openness of the manager and feel that they can speak with the manager at any time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing remains relatively settled. There are some vacancies, however, and there has been a delay in advertising to fill these posts.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have a range of effective measures to monitor the quality of service provision. These include analysing feedback from stakeholders and monthly visits from an independent and challenging visitor.

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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: SC437069 6

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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: SC437069 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 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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