Children's home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 1 SC006294 Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2009 and has an appropriate qualification.

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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

Date of last inspection: 19 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/08/2018 Full Good 15/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy living in the home and make clear progress from their starting points. Young people develop positive, trusting relationships with members of staff, which helps them to develop a sense of permanence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people attend an educational provision. Staff provide opportunities for young people that complement their studies, so that they can further develop the skills that they learn. Those who experience difficulties that affect attendance are supported to take part in activities and learning experiences that prepare them for reintegration back into education. Young people are encouraged to value their learning and to understand its worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has benefited from redecoration and some new furnishings, which has improved its presentation. Young people said that they enjoy the homely feel that this creates. One bedroom was found in a condition which indicated that staff do not consistently take responsibility for ensuring that young people’s personal spaces are well maintained. This can make young people feel they are not valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take young people on holidays and trips and enable them to take part in activities. These are planned so that they provide young people with a broad range of exciting and varied experiences. Young people have opportunities to relax and have fun, which promotes their well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported to develop and maintain relationships with their families, where appropriate. Family time is carefully planned, taking into consideration young people’s views and preferences. This shows young people that their input is important and that their voice is heard, which gives them a sense of control.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive guidance and support from staff that enable them to develop their independence. For some, it is the development of skills such as budgeting and cooking that is evidence of the progress that they make. For others it is being able to manage their medical appointments. Young people develop confidence and abilities in areas of their lives that help to prepare them for their future.

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

Young people are helped to develop knowledge so that they can keep themselves safe in areas of their life such as using the internet or going out in the community. Staff use key-work sessions to do focused work with individuals on potential areas of risk, and to support young people to understand the steps they can take to reduce these risks. Young people are learning how to keep themselves safe and as a result some risks are reduced, meaning they become increasingly safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 4 Young people who go missing benefit from a timely response from staff, who follow the necessary protocols. Staff take a persistent approach in their attempts to locate young people, and convey a real sense of urgency, which shows young people that their safety is a priority.

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

Young people are cared for by staff who provide them with clear and consistent boundaries. At various times, a communal area of the home is locked, preventing the young people from accessing it. There were various reasons given for this, yet none that demonstrated the need to safeguard all of the young people. This practice is not an appropriate form of behaviour management and it limits the freedom of young people.

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

Young people are supported to access professional health services so that they can receive help with issues such as drug use, or in relation to their mental health. Staff proactively seek out ways to offer help, guidance and advice to young people. This means that young people are helped to make safer choices, which lead to improvements in their health.

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

Risk assessments are in place to help staff understand the risks posed to young people and how to keep them safe. These documents provide clear, current information and link to other records that provide further guidance. Staff demonstrate sound knowledge of the risks posed to young people and the strategies that are in place to protect them. Young people are cared for by a competent team of staff who are responsive to their needs and committed to keeping them safe.

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

The manager and her team carry out regular checks to ensure that the home is a safe environment. External agencies are contracted to provide additional checks in relation to health and safety. There is one area in which a service to check the safety of electrical appliances has not been fully completed. This has not negatively affected young people, but routine thorough checks reduce potential risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a highly experienced, suitably qualified and passionate leader. She arranges for guest speakers to attend her staff meetings in order to extend the knowledge of her staff and help them with their continued development. Additionally, the manager incorporates creative exercises into team meetings to encourage her staff to reflect upon practice and learn from each other about how to meet young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s recruitment processes follow safer-caring guidelines. Careful consideration is given to the balance of her team and staffing arrangements, so that young people are offered consistent care and support which helps them to feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager shares information with her team regarding young people’s health. However, not all staff have completed specific training in this area, which means their knowledge of how to support young people with this is limited. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 5 The manager has thorough and effective auditing processes which she uses to scrutinise the care that young people receive. When she identifies areas of weakness, she challenges this confidently to improve the care outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed and implemented processes to monitor the progress of young people. She has developed inventive styles of recording that appeal to the young people and encourage them to monitor their own progress. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff— protect and promote each child’s welfare; provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(ii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make sure that staff take responsibility for ensuring that young people’s bedrooms are appropriately maintained. 05/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that restricted access to communal areas is not imposed as a behaviour management strategy. 04/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 7

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). In particular, ensure that specialist testing of electrical appliances is fully completed.  Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change, negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18). In particular, staff should complete training to broaden their understanding of children’s specific diagnoses. Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 8

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC006294 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider’s address: 170 Southgate, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF8 1QJ Responsible individual: Barbara Whittaker

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC006294 10 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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