Children's Home run by DMR Services Ltd in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 1 Registered provider: DMR Services Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and support for up to for five children and young people. It is owned by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

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 improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The last full inspection identified areas of practice which needed further development. Since this time, the registered manager has fully addressed two of the requirements and has partially addressed the remaining two requirements.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose is regularly updated and submitted to Ofsted. Independent visits are undertaken each month. The independent visitor’s reports outline the effectiveness of the home in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. These combined processes enable the regulator to review the operation of the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager undertakes internal quality-assurance audits of the home. The reports are extensive, but they do not provide an evaluation of the effectiveness of the home in relation to the progress of young people. Evaluation and outcomes from Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 2 consultation are also omitted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has a locality risk assessment in place. This requires further improvement. The risk assessment needs to reflect strategies to manage risk and consultation with relevant agencies and contain up-to-date information.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

These shortfalls do not have any impact on young people, and the registered manager is clear about what actions are needed to address these areas.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and deputy manager have been effective in safeguarding young people who have previously been at risk of sexual exploitation. From the point of admission to the home, risks reduce. When safeguarding concerns are identified, managers work alongside the police and safeguarding agencies to investigate concerns.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy well-balanced routines and lifestyles. All young people have individualised education provision. Attendance levels and engagement are overall very good. When young people are on a reduced timetable, managers are proactive in working with schools to ensure that young people benefit from a return to a full-time education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The healthcare needs of young people are well understood. All young people benefit from care which meets their unique physical, emotional and psychological needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership work is very positive. All professionals reported that managers and staff work collaboratively with agencies and that young people make good progress. One social worker said: ‘The care that the placement provides to young people is fantastic. I believe that the managers have developed a strong work ethic in their team around promoting the best quality of care for their young people.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team is well supervised and benefits from a comprehensive training programme. Managers monitor staff performance and, where concerns are identified, managers take appropriate action, including seeking advice from the designated safeguarding lead.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a settled group of young people. When young people are new to the home, managers ensure that their transition is planned well. This means that young people understand their care and placement plan and know what to expect regarding their care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has ended the placements of two young people. Managers felt that the home could not safely manage the complex and risky behaviours of these young people. Most young people leaving the home have planned moves, in line with their care plans. One young person is moving back to her home community. She said: ‘The managers are the best. They have really helped me, and I am totally ready to move on.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/04/2018 Full Good 19/10/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: ‘Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on

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Recommendations

new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written

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Recommendations

report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 4

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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 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: DMR Services, 102 Queslett Road East, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham B74 2EZ

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Inspector:

Amanda Ellis, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 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 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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