Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 1 SC036026 Registered provider: Sheffield 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 is a local authority-run children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children or young people. The children or young people receive care that supports them to manage their emotions and have positive childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 September 2018

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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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection : none Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2017 Full Good 30/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/04/2016 Full Good 29/12/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards.’ The registered persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the admission of the young people meets the criteria set in the statement of purpose. The statement of purpose states that the home will not accept emergency placements. 28/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Children should have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning, unless there are specific safeguarding reasons why this would be inappropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.19)  Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. The registered person should consider the use of an independent advocate (see paragraph 4.16) if the child’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8) In particular, the

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Recommendations

responsible individual should support the registered manager to address the barriers that exist for children looked after. Ensure that the children quickly access and receive the education to which they are legally entitled, which supports their learning and future prospects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit greatly from the very strong and trusting relationships that the staff build with them. These relationships are the key that enables the staff to achieve positive outcomes and experiences for the young people in their care. Over time, the Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 4 young people respond to the consistently nurturing care and guidance that the staff provide in a safe and secure environment. The young people have made progress in reducing risk-taking behaviour, self-confidence, belief in themselves, social skills, independence skills and engagement in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people access essential health professionals for routine check-ups. In addition, the young people advance immensely due to the attendance and engagement with services that support their mental and emotional well-being. The staff see the importance of the young people’s emotional well-being and give significant support to ensure that the young people obtain the help that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A lot of time and effort is given to listening and consulting with the young people about their care. The staff act on the young people’s views, which they obtain through general discussions, key-work sessions and statutory reviews. This empowers the young people to influence decisions about their day-to-day care and the plans for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have rebuilt and maintained relationships with family members and others that are important to them. This is achieved by the frequent communication that the staff have with individual family members. This develops an ongoing support network for the young people and a sense of belonging.

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

The young people live in an environment where their safety is paramount in all the decisions made about their care. The manager and staff strongly advocate on behalf of the young people. This is achieved through the staff frequently engaging with all professionals. This includes weekly multi-agency core meetings that ensure highly effective planning. These meetings ensure that there is a coordinated and stringent implementation of safety measures that fully meet each young person’s individual needs. The strategies used are kept under constant review, with changes made to ensure that the young people remain safe.

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

A professional said, ‘I take my hat off to the manager. He, together with his staff, could not do any more to keep the young people safe.’

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

The staff strongly demonstrate an understanding of the young people’s needs. The young people respond positively over time to the clear strategies, boundaries and rules that the staff consistently apply to keep them safe. The young people respond to praise and the reassurance that is unfailingly provided. There has been one sanction, and no restraint or bullying incidents, since the last inspection. This helps to keep the young people safe and protect them from harm.

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

For those young people who have a history of going missing, and who are vulnerable to child sexual exploitation, the staff follow detailed written risk assessments and protocols that have been collaboratively devised with the police and others to safeguard the young people. The actions taken have reduced the number of missing from care episodes. Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 5 A professional said, ‘The staff go above and beyond to care and keep the young people safe. They care about the young people as any parent would.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a wealth of experience in management and in caring for young people. He has been the registered manager since 2010 and holds the relevant qualification in leadership and management. He leads by example and communicates his high ambition for the young people in his care to the staff team. The young people benefit immensely from the manager’s determination to make certain that they succeed. This forms the foundation of all that the staff team does for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is committed, experienced, diverse and child-centred. Teamwork is a great strength and ensures that the staff provide consistent care. The staff access a wide range of training. Most staff hold the diploma level 3 in caring for children and young people. Those without the diploma are undertaking this training. The staff benefit from accessing specialist training. This includes sleep hygiene, child sexual exploitation and self-harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals report that communication with the staff is first-rate. There is tremendous partnership working with the police, youth offending staff, and the mental health professionals who excellently support the young people in their care. This ensures that the progress of the young people during their time living at the home is good. However, while the home is proactive and liaises without delay to pursue school and education placements for the young people, barriers are evident with some education providers and the impact of this is a delay in getting young people back into school after an exclusion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The needs of young people are in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The manager knows implicitly the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The development plan for the service clearly sets out the identified areas that require progression to bring further improvement to the care provided to the young people. There is constant review of the goals set in the development plans. This demonstrates very good leadership. However, there has been an inconsistency with the statement of purpose, when a young person was admitted as an emergency. This placement was as a result of direction from a senior manager and it did have a negative impact on the daily life of this young person and other young people already living at the home for a period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One recommendation out of the two previously made recommendations has been met. The staff work with the young people and encourage them to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One recommendation is still to be implemented and the young people still need constant access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning. Funding has been agreed to be able to implement this recommendation. Temporary measures were put in place for a young person undertaking school exams. However, it is disappointing to see that over a year has passed and this matter has not been resolved. Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 6 Thorough internal and external monitoring systems exist. This continual review of the quality of care supports young people’s positive care experience, ongoing progress and maintains a very high standard of care.

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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: SC036026 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspector

Debbie Foster: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036026 8 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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