Children's Home run by Derby City Council in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 1 SC036240 Registered provider: Derby 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 home provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who need support with emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since February 2019.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2018 Full Outstanding 17/07/2017 Full Good 20/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if they consider a placing authority’s or relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 31/05/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) 31/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff help a child who is of compulsory school age but not attending school to access educational and training support throughout the period of non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(viii)) 31/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 31/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that where a child makes a choice that would place them or another person at significant risk of harm, staff assist them to understand the risks and manage their risk-taking behaviour to keep themselves and others safe. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive personalised care from a dedicated staff team. They form positive relationships with staff and feel well cared for. Their individual needs are well understood by staff. They receive the support they need to make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A range of professionals and agencies are available to young people. This enables bespoke and specialist support to be given at times of specific need. Young people are helped to keep in touch with family members and significant others. This helps young people to develop a positive sense of identity and to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health needs are well met. They understand the importance of attending routine health appointments. They also have access to specialist healthcare support. Over time, young people take more personal responsibility for meeting their own health needs. This includes making and attending their own routine health appointments without staff support. This prepares them well for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education or training provisions are in place for all young people. Staff help young people to set goals for their futures. Young people see the value in learning and attending education/training. One young person is not currently able to access their education provision. There is a need for staff and managers to ensure that this young person can access education as soon as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people can express their wishes, views and feelings to staff and managers. Young people understand the complaints procedures and use them with confidence. They contribute to the day-to-day running of the home. Staff work hard to ensure that young people’s views and wishes are considered each day. One young person is also involved in a Children In Care participation group within the local authority. This provides an opportunity for young people to contribute to the care and support they receive. It increases their sense of being valued as part of their community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have opportunities to take part in a range of social activities. They form friendships locally. They enjoy spending time with friends and using local community resources. The home has a self-contained flat attached to it. This enables one young person to live semi-independently so that they can learn the necessary skills to make a Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 5 successful move to adult life. As one young person said: ‘I am learning to budget my money. It is not easy, but the staff support me to go shopping and I am learning how to manage on a limited income.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on the development of young people’s independence skills. Young people learn how to cook, wash their own clothes and manage their own money. Three young people have left the home since the last inspection. Two of those successfully moved to semi-independent accommodation and one returned to live with family members.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not fully considered the full range of potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with young people. Current risk assessments do not address specific patterns of behaviour. As a result, potential harm is not minimised.

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improvement to be good

Managers have also not acted on the potential need for direct work to be done with young people who may be at risk of radicalisation or may have been exposed to extremist views.

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improvement to be good

Systems for monitoring young people’s use of social media platforms do not reflect the way that many young people now access the internet. Although the manager has a good system for monitoring the use of computers within the home, staff do not effectively scrutinise or monitor internet use through personal mobile devices. Consideration needs to be given to how staff can support young people to use their mobile devices safely.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond quickly and positively when young people do not return to the home at agreed times. They understand and follow missing-from-home procedures well. They work hard to ensure the safe return of young people. Staff work proactively with relevant agencies, including the police. They ensure that young people can discuss fully their reasons for going missing or being absent without consent.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that full employment history checks have been carried out for all new staff. This is not in line with safer recruitment policies and means that vetting is not as robust as it could be.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager took over from a long-serving registered manager. He has the necessary skills and experience for the role. He is currently undertaking his level 5 management diploma. In a relatively short period of time, he has established himself as a well-respected and strong leader in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs of each young Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 6 person. They have strong aspirations for them. Young people value the consistent support they receive from managers who always act as strong advocates.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records reflect the support and help provided for young people. The manager is working on a more streamlined system of recording so that records are clearer and more accessible to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. They report feeling supported in their roles. They are able to express their views and make suggestions. Weekly team meetings provide an opportunity for all staff and managers to consider the progress of young people and develop strategies to improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not robustly challenged the placing authority in relation to concerns about one particular young person. This relates to the need to ensure that clear plans and risk assessments are in place. It also relates to the need to ensure that educational provision is put in place as a matter of urgency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not ensured that all staff have undertaken relevant training in a timely manner. One member of staff has not completed mandatory training. The home is, therefore, not able to demonstrate that all staff have been given the support, guidance and information to do their jobs well.

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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: SC036240 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Derby City Council, Treasurer’s Department, Council House, Corporation Street, Derby DE1 2FE

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Inspector

Tracy Murty: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036240 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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