Children's home run by Dynamic Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 1 Registered provider: Dynamic Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager, who has been in place since March 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 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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child—is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e)) 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place— if the provider is an organisation— (ii) any change of director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the organisation. (Regulation 49 (e)(ii)) 31/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all relevant plans are obtained from the placing authority. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1) This relates specifically to ensuring that young people have personal education plans (PEPs) in place.

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are two young people living at the home. One young person has been resident for well over a year and the other for just over two months. Young people feel safe living at the home. They are kept safe and have a strong sense of personal safety. A young person reported, ‘I like it here; it’s good. It’s one of the longest placements I’ve ever had. The staff help me in every way possible like with education and semi-independence. My relationship with staff is brilliant. It’s probably the best home I’ve been in.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in relation to their starting points across all aspects of their personal development. They benefit from well-planned, personalised care that promotes their needs effectively and contributes to change and improvement in their lives. Young people enjoy good relationships with staff and they sustain their positive attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to attend school or other alternative educational provision and make steady progress in relation to their starting points. Young people are currently attending education on a reduced timetable basis. Relevant plans are in place to promote the young people’s educational achievements. However, one young person requires a personal education plan to support his educational progress and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are registered with the health services they need to maintain their positive health. Medical consent is obtained, and staff are familiar with the types of health decisions and responsibilities that are charged and delegated to them. Staff work closely with health professionals to promote the young people’s good health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff maintain close relationships with the families of young people and promote family time taking place. As a result, young people sustain their positive relationships with the people who are most important to them. Young people benefit from encouragement and support to promote their social skills, interests and hobbies. They experience a broad range of social activities, such as meals out, horse riding, fishing and going to the cinema. Young people reported, ‘Staff are better here than in my other homes. My relationships with staff are fine. We go ice skating, play snooker, go karting and fishing,’ and, ‘I get to see my family every two weeks. I can’t think of anything I would change.’

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

Young people’s safety is at the centre of staff’s practice. Young people become increasingly safer because of the actions staff take to protect them. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s specific needs and emerging vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them. Risks associated with young people are managed safely and effectively by staff. The use of clear risk assessment and safe working practices promote the safety and well-being of young people. Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 5 Young people are protected from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. Staff are trained in child protection and know how to deal with allegations and report suspected abuse. There are no current issues in relation to child sexual exploitation, radicalisation or self-harm. Where drug misuse is an issue for some young people, staff provide effective help and support to educate young people about the dangers of taking drugs, and act to reduce and minimise

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

Staff aspire to make a positive difference to the lives of young people and they do not give up on young people easily. For example, one young person had presented with disruptive and challenging behaviour which had put his placement at risk. However, staff persevered, and the young person was given the support he needed to turn his behaviours around. Staff help young people to self-regulate their feelings and behaviours safely. The use of restraint is rare, and if used at all, it is only ever as a last resort to protect young people from actual harm. There have been no restraints since the last inspection.

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

Staff consistently encourage, acknowledge, praise and reinforce positive behaviour. They invest in and value their relationships with young people. As a result, there is mutual respect between young people and staff. Consequences used to address negative behaviour are fair. Rewards and praise are used effectively to encourage young people’s positive behaviour.

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

Young people know how to make a complaint and their rights are promoted effectively. Young people raised no concerns or complaints during this inspection. Staff actively look for young people if they are absent from the home or go missing. They maintain effective partnerships with the police to locate young people quickly and secure their safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced registered manager, who has been in place since March 2019, exercises strong and effective leadership of the day-to-day operations of the home. The company has seen some director changes, which need notifying to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported, professionally supervised, managed and led. Staff benefit from appropriate training that enables them to meet the specific needs of the young people. Staff maintain effective partnerships with social workers, health professionals, schools and all other professional agencies to ensure that young people benefit from the best possible help and all- round support. This ensures that the needs of young people are consistently and reliably met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home meets the aims and objectives as set out in its statement of purpose. Staff provide a good-quality service for young people. The home has addressed and met the three recommendations from the last inspection. Positive behaviour is reinforced, and the staff provide continuity of care for young people. The registered manager completes risk impact assessments to ensure that young people placed are suitably matched, having considered the needs of young people already living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is visited each month by an independent person who scrutinises the performance of the home and its arrangements to safeguard young people and promote their well-being. The registered manager makes good use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities to Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 6 understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This enables the registered manager to address shortfalls to secure the home’s improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home provides young people with a comfortable and homely living environment. Young people have access to a games room to socialise with staff and each other. Health and safety within the home managed effectively to help provide a safe environment for young people, visitors and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Significant incidents are usually reported to the appropriate authorities to ensure that the right action is taken to support and protect young people. However, a significant incident recently took place involving the theft of the home’s motor vehicle. The matter was reported to the police and the placing authorities. However, Ofsted was not notified of this incident by the home. Consequently, a requirement is made in respect of this issue. The registered manager has since taken appropriate action to prevent a similar incident occurring.

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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: 1264696 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dynamic Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Retiro Street, Oldham OL1 1SA

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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