Children's home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 1 SC006294 Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children and young people. The registered manager has been in post since 2009.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/08/2016 Full Good 26/01/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 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 order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

the system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(2)(b), (5)) 30/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The strong relationships that the staff build with the young people in the home are starting to have a positive influence on their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have worked closely with education providers and the virtual school to help the young people to overcome their barriers to education. Consequently, they are now engaging in education, which is a significant achievement for them. Some of them are making progress in attainment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are extremely proactive in informing the young people about the dangers and health implications of substance misuse. They make appropriate referrals to drug and alcohol services and are creative if the young people won’t engage with them, undertaking the work with the young people themselves. This is reducing the incidence of substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are encouraged to develop interests. One young person is supported to pursue his passion for ‘scootering’, and the manager has arranged for him to attend a residential course at his request.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have rekindled relationships with family members because of the flexible, practical and emotional support given by the staff. A family member said, ‘Everyone can see a change for the better in him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are helped to understand and reflect on their actions through regular, individual, direct work sessions with staff, covering topics relevant to their needs. For example, one young person is learning about healthier food choices and another about choosing to resist peer pressure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Case records reflect the everyday lives of the young people well. Records of the individual work that is undertaken with the young people are written in a child-friendly way and demonstrate constructive interaction between the young people and staff. The ability of the young people to discuss their feelings and accept responsibility for their behaviour is improving as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are given opportunities to make their views known, and there is a collaboration between them and the staff over some aspects of their care, such as the support that they prefer when they need to calm down. This feeling of being listened to has resulted in one young person attending his looked after review for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it is not in a young person’s best interests for the staff to act upon their wishes, the staff sensitively help them to understand why and give them alternative goals to work towards. The young people are beginning to respond to this approach. For example, one young person attended a staff meeting at which he discussed how he Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 5 could earn enough money to buy a phone. This enabled him to develop his negotiation skills and take responsibility for achieving his goal.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff produce an individualised monthly newsletter which celebrates young people’s achievements and explains goals and events for the forthcoming month. In this way, the young people know what is happening and are clear about the expectations on them.

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

Young people’s care plans identify the measures that staff should take to reduce their individual risks. The staff follow these well, making frequent phone checks when the young people are in the community unsupervised. They contact the parents of friends, if appropriate, and check the addresses that the young people frequent. This results in staff having a good knowledge of the whereabouts of the young people and reduces their safeguarding risks. A requirement made at the last inspection, relating to following plans if they are concerned about a young person is met.

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

When the young people go missing, the staff follow the agreed procedure, including going out looking for the young people. The police praised the staff, describing their response as ‘the best of the children’s homes in the area’. Young people are offered return home interviews by their placing authorities. This enables them to follow up any concerns that may come to light.

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

Close partnership working between the manager and the police protects the young people. The staff also influence outcomes for young people by sharing known concerns with the police, who take appropriate action to keep the young people safe.

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

Individualised work with young people helps them to consider alternative ways to manage their feelings of anger and frustration. Due to this, the numbers of incidents of physical intervention are low, with staff having the skills to de-escalate confrontation and negotiate solutions. A requirement made at the last inspection regarding the recording of physical interventions is met. Records are in accordance with regulations and all staff have undertaken further training.

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

The staff consistently implement routines and boundaries to manage the behaviour of the young people. Used in conjunction with a positive incentive scheme, challenging behaviour by the young people is being reduced.

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

A recommendation made at the last inspection regarding the management of allegations is met. Allegations made against staff by the young people are promptly referred to the designated officer, ensuring that young people are protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes child-centred decisions about children and young people coming to live in the home. Whenever possible, admissions take place in a planned way. In line with the home’s statement of purpose, the completion of a ‘shared living’ risk Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 6 assessment allows a young person’s needs to be carefully matched to the existing residents. This increases the likelihood of a smooth transition into the home for all children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Care planning documents comprehensively identify the needs and vulnerabilities of the young people. The manager and staff team deliver care in a cohesive way which helps the young people to understand the expectations on them. Progress, however small, is noted and rewarded. This is reducing the number of incidents of challenging and risk- taking behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s proactive relationships with other agencies and with families enhance the safety and well-being of the young people. She works closely with relatives and consults therapists to inform young people’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal monitoring procedures, including the six-monthly review of care and reports from the independent visitor, to monitor practice and identify areas for development. However, the review does not contain feedback from families and other agencies, which would further inform her evaluation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One complaint has been made since the last inspection. This has been dealt with in accordance with the home’s complaint’s procedure. A requirement made at the last inspection in relation to complaints is met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are supported by regular supervision and appraisal, which addresses both their well-being and identifies actions to improve their practice. They describe management support as ‘brilliant’, and this contributes to working together effectively as a team to meet the needs of the young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 7

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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 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: SC006294 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider’s address: 170 Southgate, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF8 1QJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Barbara Whittaker

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Inspector

Janet Black, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 9 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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