Three Gables

Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 1 SC065553 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates this home. The home can accommodate up to four children and young people who have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 September 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2018

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2018 Full Good 24/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/05/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have made great progress. They have grown in confidence and emotional maturity. As a result, they are looking forward to their future with optimism. This progress is attributable to the dedicated work of staff and managers.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people and staff have developed very strong bonds. Young people are highly valued by staff, who treat them with respect and dignity. Young people feel empowered to express their views, opinions and ideas about all aspects of their care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people’s motivation, resilience and ambition are greatly increased as a result of living in the home. Young people attend college courses and one young person has just commenced an apprenticeship. Young people are enthusiastic about their chosen courses. For example, one young person now travels some distance to college independently. Another young person has made a short film, which is excellent, as part of his media studies course. He was rightly proud of his work.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help, support and motivate young people to achieve their full potential. This has enabled young people to make notable achievements. One young person who is a keen sailor qualified to become a sailing instructor and gained a sea cadets award. Another young person who struggled with social interaction now has friends and an active social life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people become emotionally resilient because they receive the help that they need. This may be through the provision of direct talking therapies or through the informal emotional support of staff. Staff are able to give good support to young people because they receive highly effective guidance and advice from a psychologist.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

This is a home that values diversity and helps young people to be accepting of others. For example, the manager, staff and young people have worked hard to develop a greater understanding of issues affecting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. This has included joint training attended by staff and young people.

p.3

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

Staff and managers have an in-depth understanding of young people’s vulnerabilities. Individual risk assessments and plans to manage risk are of an exceptionally high standard. The staff value and adhere to risk assessments and risk management plans because their views are taken into consideration when assessments and plans are reviewed.

p.3

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

The foundation of excellent safeguarding practice is the strong relationship between staff and young people. Young people feel that they can talk to staff about any worries or concerns they may have. Staff remain very clear with young people about behaviour expectations, as a responsible corporate parent should. Clear, safe boundaries have led Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 4 to a settled home. For example:

p.3

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

 young people do not engage in high-risk activities, such as drug use, gang affiliation, criminal behaviour or anti-social behaviour

p.4

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

 the staff do not have to resort to physical intervention to manage difficult behaviour.

p.4

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

Staff and managers work diligently to improve the behaviour of young people. When a young person’s behaviour has fallen below expectation, staff undertake individual work with the young person. During these sessions, staff focus on restorative outcomes so that the young person can make amends for their behaviour and develop a better understanding of how their behaviour affects others.

p.4

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

Some young people have been at high risk of self-harm. They are now safer and no longer engage in this behaviour. Therapeutic help, combined with effective and safe care provided by staff, has enabled young people to have a better awareness of their moods and feelings. This diverts them from self-harming behaviour.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is highly effective. He has been registered with Ofsted since April 2012. He receives excellent support from a dynamic deputy manager. Since the last inspection, the manager and deputy manager have implemented an ambitious development plan. This has led to considerable improvement.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is stable and its members enjoy their work. The staff team is very well organised. Regular team meetings and detailed shift handovers ensure very clear communication within the team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from regular individual supervision. These sessions focus on safeguarding practice and care quality issues. Additionally, the team values monthly group supervision with a psychologist. This helps to develop the team’s knowledge, skills and approaches to the care of young people. The deputy manager has recently introduced a new and innovative tracking and analysis system for staff. This aims to achieve greater consistency in behaviour management.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A very good gender balance in the staff team has meant that young people experience very positive male and female role models. There have been some insightful conversations between staff and young people about gender stereotypes that have helped young people to gain a greater understanding of the issue.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent quality assurance and monitoring systems. These track young people’s progress and development. In addition to monthly monitoring undertaken by the home’s independent visitor, the manager regularly carries out a Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 5 detailed evaluation of care quality. The manager’s experience and knowledge mean that he anticipates problems and takes effective, proactive action when required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff use research and evidence-based practice. This helps staff to understand the underlying reasons for young people’s behaviour and develop a clear rationale for intervention.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC065553 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AG

p.6

Inspector

Phillip Morris, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065553 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7