Children's Home run by Doncaster Children‟s Services Trust Limited in Doncaster

Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 1 SC481444 Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care for children and young people whose plan is for them to live in medium-to long-term residential care. The experienced and qualified manager has held registered manager status since August 2018. She has been managing the home since October 2017.

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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 good

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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: good

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2017 Full Good 21/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Outstanding 17/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to their potential, and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

Review internal monitoring systems and record this review.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, demonstrate how the following matters will be monitored:

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Requirement Due date

 Improve the quality of restraint records and provide for a description of any injury to the child or any other person and ensure that any medical treatment administered resulting from the measure and that staff debriefings are clearly referenced.  Ensure that documentation is dated, and that staff sign to confirm that they have read and understood the documentation.  Review the statement of purpose to detail how staff competence is assessed during restraint refresher training, make clear the qualifications and experience of all staff and clarify the change of purpose of one of the rooms.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the 28/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 4 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1), (2)(a)(b), (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make the best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement.

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Recommendations

Specifically, the regulation 45 review reports should include the outcome of the consultations with parents and professionals. Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people live in a warm and nurturing ‘family’ home that is well maintained and offers them an excellent quality of care. They receive affection, supervision, rewards and positive affirmations that help them to develop positive self- esteem and confidence. A parent said about their child: ‘She absolutely loves it there, I’m happy with that.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people have developed some excellent relationships with the staff, who represent positive role models. The staff have an excellent understanding of the children’s and young people’s individual personalities and moods. They speak about the children and young people with pride and joy. They clearly understand the impact of trauma, loss and attachment difficulties on individuals’ behaviours. They believe in their advancement and show them unconditional positive regard. A staff member said: ‘I want to give them the life they deserve’ and ‘We committed… we showed that we loved (Name of child)’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Research-informed and innovative practice underpins the children’s and young people’s care journey and supports their progress. All the children and young people can display some very complex and challenging behaviours, but there is convincing evidence of change from their starting points because of the high-quality care, protection and nurture. The excellent, age-appropriate direct work that the children and young people engage in with the staff and other professionals is helping them to thrive. The voice of the child is championed by staff and others, making the children and young people feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team’s high aspirations for children’s and young people’s education is driven passionately by the deputy manager, who has the relevant expertise. One staff member said: ‘Education has made the place flourish.’ All the children and young people are gaining enrichment during their learning and making good progress from their starting points. In some cases, children and young people who have previously refused education are now becoming fully immersed in learning. Creative and dynamic support in alternative accommodation was granted to a young person who needed to unwind away from the home prior to taking exams. There is effective liaison with education providers, including the virtual school and the educational psychologist, who are all working together to help the children and young people to achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consistent and effective collaboration with primary and specialist health professionals and daily care practices ensure that the children’s and young people’s specific healthcare needs are identified and well met. Their quality of life is improving under these measures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people enjoy holidays, day trips and activities, including horse riding, go-karting, sports, community activities and cultural and diversity events. This widens their experiences and raises their awareness about difference. Children and young Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 6 people make positive and sustained friendships, which bodes well for their future relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s and young people’s contact with family maintains their bonds and, for some, may lead to reunification. Children’s stays with other, unrelated carers further mimic extended family life in the community and promote a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Professionals are complimentary about the services delivered to the children and young people, specifically in view of their young age and living in residential care. A social care professional said that the model of care works and that they would like to see it continue.

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

The strong risk management practice is research informed, proactive and effective. The staff team’s coherent understanding of risk, the well-established boundaries and vigilance optimise its ability to act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. A robust safeguarding culture is derived from these measures. Parents and professionals consider the home to be a safe haven for children and young people. One staff member said: ‘There is a confidence within the team about how to look after them and make them feel safe.’

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

The staff skilfully balance children’s and young people’s behaviours, enabling them to take measured risks to develop independence alongside the need to supervise them and keep them safe. Older young people are given a ‘safety’ mobile phone when they are out with their friends on activities, giving them a sense of security should they need it. Staff talk to the children and young people about staying safe. They help children and young people to understand the dangers of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation, in line with their age and understanding. Staff facilitate discussions between children and young people and police officers, nurses and teachers that give credibility to the subject areas explored with them, which helps them to grasp the issues and make safer, informed choices.

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

The strong relationships with other safeguarding agencies, such as the police, social workers, the Youth Justice Board and the local authority designated officer, promote good working together practices. Challenging behaviours and allegations against staff are being reduced. This is because most of the children and young people have settled into home life and have formed safe and secure bonds with the staff.

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

The decline in the number of physical interventions reflects the good-quality behaviour management techniques and support that are helping children and young people to self- regulate. A stakeholder, reporting on how a potentially challenging situation was avoided, said that a staff member’s interaction with a child ‘was absolutely fantastic and really good at avoiding a risky situation’. The small number of physical interventions that were not carried out in line with the child’s individual crisis management plan have ceased. The quality of the records following physical interventions is not consistently good and does not comply fully with the regulations. This shortfall does not have a Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 7 detrimental impact on children’s and young people’s safety and welfare, but the action taken should ensure clarity of information, specifically in the event of an allegation

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the home has suffered leadership and management changes that did impact on some of the children’s and young people’s outcomes. However, the current children and young people have shown resilience and there is no long-term negative impact from these changes. The previous manager and deputy left the home in close succession during a time of high crisis and instability. The interim management arrangements were satisfied by the appointment of a qualified and experienced manager and deputy manager who are familiar with the home. They are a dynamic duo and a complementary force that has, not without challenge, salvaged and rebuilt an effective, stable service that passionately aims high for children and young people. The staff and professionals regard them highly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team shows an excellent knowledge of the children’s and young people’s individual histories and personalities. Its members can demonstrate the progress made by each child, and they work effectively with other professionals to overcome barriers, often thinking creatively and in the children’s and young people’s best interests. One professional described the staff team as ‘proactive’. The strong relationships forged between the staff team and the professionals not only promote consistent practice but also allow appropriate professional challenge without fear or favour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is rejuvenated by new, motivated staff who make for a resilient, child- focused and supportive team. A staff member said: ‘I just love working here. There is a good, rounded balance of people, with their strengths and weaknesses. Everybody has got everybody’s back.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

High staffing levels meet the children’s and young people’s individual and complex needs effectively. Staff supervision and practice development, daily handovers and team meetings keep the team up to date and confident to carry out its role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager understands the strengths and most areas for development. She makes good use of the evaluative and informative reports of the independent visitor, who acts as a critical friend to help to drive forward improvements. The registered manager’s own internal monitoring supports a learning and progressive service. However, some shortfalls have not been acted on by the registered manager with sufficient speed. The previous requirement is not fully met with regards to including the outcome of consultations with parents and professionals in the internal monitoring review report. Staff recruitment is flawed by a lack of previous employment verification of why the position ended. In one employment application there is an absence of further scrutiny that warrants further intervention to ensure robust recruitment practices. Some records are not clear or not dated, and staff do not follow the instruction to sign to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

confirm that they have read and understood them. Although these shortfalls have had Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 8 no known detrimental impact on children’s and young people’s outcomes, it is not helpful to the child should they wish to read their information in future years.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A recent review of the home’s statement of purpose needs further clarity with regards to the change of purpose of one of the rooms. The experience and qualifications of all the staff members are not recorded consistently. The way in which staff’s competence with regards to restraint is to be assessed is not evident in the document. Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 9

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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: SC481444 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Blue Building, 38–40 High Street, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN1 1DE

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Inspector(s)

Jacqueline Malcolm, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481444 11 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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