Children's Home run by Derbyshire County Council in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 1 SC035976 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates this home which provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. The home is led by an experienced manager who was registered by Ofsted for this home in May 2017.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 5 September 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home continues to provide young people with good quality care. Young people’s experiences of further education and training have been variable. One young person, who recently left the home, made very good progress on his college course. This young person is focused on his future and on achieving his aspirations. Another young person, although achieving well in exams at school, has not gone on to college and remains without any education, employment or training. The manager and staff are working to engage him in college or employment to rectify this situation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff have completed effective work to help one young person to leave the home and move to semi-independent accommodation. Staff worked with the young person to develop his skills to prepare him for life away from the home. The work was Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 2 detailed, thoughtful and was completed at a pace to suit the young person. This maximises the likelihood of the transition from the home being successful and helping him to move forward with his life.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager, staff and young people have experienced some very difficult incidents. Young people have displayed aggressive behaviour towards staff and at times they have misused drugs. This has led to one young person leaving the home and the other young person is due to leave imminently. Overall, staff manage incidents well. They follow procedures and try to ensure the safety of young people and themselves. On one occasion, when staff suspected a young person was under the influence of drugs, staff practice was not robust. Staff failed to take immediate action and contact medics to seek advice and guidance.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At times, young people have been missing from the home. Staff search the local area and will visit the places that they know young people frequent. Staff constantly phone young people and their friends to locate the young person and bring them home safely. Staff complete good, detailed individual work with young people to ascertain reasons for going missing. Staff talk to young people about the risks associated with going missing and try to agree strategies with them to prevent further incidents.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not always ensured robust care planning for young people. Young people and staff have not received clarity on the aims and objectives of the residential placement for the young person. At times, there has been confusion over arrangements for family contact. This has led to young people taking themselves to family members’ homes and being at increased risk of harm. Clear care planning helps staff and other professionals to provide the best possible care for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are well supported as the management and staff team have remained stable. The registered manager and deputy manager are experienced and knowledgeable and they understand young people’s needs well. The management and staff have now developed a good culture and ethos of reflective practice. They meet regularly for team meetings and reflective group meetings facilitated by a psychologist. This has helped them to make many positive developments across the home, which benefit young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2018 Full Good 28/11/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a) and (vi)) 25/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 4 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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Derbyshire County Council, County Offices, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AG

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Inspector(s)

Phillip Morris, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035976 5 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)

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

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