Children's Home run by Delam Care Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 1 SC064027 Registered provider: Delam Care 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 up to six children and young people, aged from eight to 18 years old, who have complex learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager successfully registered with Ofsted in June 2017. The registered manager is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 15 January 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2019 Full Outstanding 20/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/12/2017 Full Good 20/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 3

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outstanding

Children and young people with highly complex needs are exceptionally happy and settled. Children and young people love the staff and enjoy warm and trusting relationships with them. They have fun with staff and go to them for hugs and reassurance.

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outstanding

Children and young people benefit hugely from a welcoming, comfortable home where they can relax and focus on their own needs. The home has been improved since the last inspection, and creative staff have painted beautiful personalised murals on the children and young people’s bedroom walls. Young people have fun wallpapering their own bedroom walls and are very proud of this achievement.

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outstanding

Children and young people feel that staff really care about them and listen to them. Highly skilled staff meet children and young people’s individual communication and learning needs. Staff use verbal communication, symbols, sign language and body language to enable each child and young person to express themselves effectively. Children and young people know how to complain and are confident to go to staff if they are unhappy or concerned.

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outstanding

Children and young people said that staff help them in every way. One young person hopes to become an architect and is confident that staff will do all that they can to help him to achieve his goals. Children and young people are proud of their achievements, which are celebrated daily and at an annual awards ceremony, which children and young people thoroughly enjoy attending.

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outstanding

Children and young people enjoy participating in an excellent range of stimulating activities. These activities broaden their minds and increase their confidence. Staff enable children and young people to enjoy horse riding, volley ball, arts and crafts and trips out. One young person has been on a trip to Poland since the last inspection.

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outstanding

Children and young people make exceptional progress. They develop their independence and social skills, their confidence and their ability to make choices and express themselves. Children and young people make progress beyond expectations in forming positive relationships and in their ability to communicate verbally. Staff have helped one young person to dramatically improve her reading ability in a short space of time by reading with her. Another young person has significantly improved her ability to manage her emotions and behaviour. Children and young people become better at completing personal care tasks without the need for prompts from staff. They win awards at school for working hard and achieve in subjects like mathematics. Overall, children and young people’s school attendance is excellent. Staff are supporting a young person who is awaiting a school place to prepare and feel confident about returning to education.

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outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 4 Staff support children and young people to spend time with their families. Children and young people explore their own identities through the sensitive support of staff. Staff identify and meet children and young people’s physical and mental health needs to a very high standard and ensure that they receive the services that they need.

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outstanding

Children and young people become more confident about attending medical appointments because staff help them get to know the local hospital site and the local dentist before they go. When children and young people leave the home, staff work closely with their next placement, helping them to feel more secure.

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outstanding

Highly trained, dedicated staff keep children and young people with complex needs and behaviours safe. Children and young people feel safe and trust staff to keep them safe. Staff ensure high levels of monitoring and support, firm boundaries and routines. The sense of security and safety that this creates enables children and young people to become better at managing their own behaviour.

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outstanding

Staff are exceptionally skilled at managing challenging behaviour. They maintain a relaxed, warm atmosphere in the home, while being constantly vigilant for potential triggers and changes in children and young people’s moods. This means that staff anticipate issues and are always ready to respond appropriately. Staff de-escalate situations or prevent them from happening. This means that children and young people can safely enjoy group activities in the home and outside. Staff have an in- depth understanding of the reasons behind children and young people’s behaviours. They use this understanding to provide each child and young person with the consistent care that they need.

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outstanding

The number of incidents and physical interventions reduce as staff skilfully help children and young people to understand their own emotions and how to calm themselves down. Children and young people engage in valuable key work sessions to address issues of internet safety and stranger danger. They do not go missing and are not subject to radicalisation, child exploitation, or bullying. Staff are aware of these risks. They understand the signs and how to respond to them.

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outstanding

A highly effective multi-agency approach to safeguarding includes daily contact with school staff. Staff exchange information about significant events that may have an impact on children and young people’s moods and behaviour. Staff liaise with the local police and social workers to ensure that all risks are identified and understood. The registered manager regularly reviews risk assessments and behaviour support plans. When incidents occur, staff talk to children and young people and enable them to communicate their views and feelings about the event. Staff and the registered manager reflect on incidents and identify learning points to inform future Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 5 practice. The registered manager quickly and thoroughly addresses any concerns about staff conduct.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate about the service. She is totally focused on children and young people’s needs and knows each of them extremely well. Staff spoke highly of the registered manager and of the support and guidance that she gives them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager understands the strengths and areas for development in the team and works closely with her deputy manager to drive up standards even further via supervisions, team meetings, discussions and training. The registered manager values her experienced, skilled and hardworking staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager promotes a highly effective trauma-based approach to meeting children’s needs. She ensures that all staff, including night staff, are trained and competent in this model. Staff provide children and young people with consistent care. They confidently share observations and practice with each other. This keeps them focused on children and young people’s individual and changing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Research underpins staff practice. In addition to incorporating developments in trauma research into practice, the registered manager utilises research in subjects including specific health conditions. She shares her findings with health professionals and has made significant contributions to children and young people’s health plans. The registered manager advocates for children and young people and challenges other professionals if she considers that their needs are not being met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager constantly reviews the service. She incorporates regular feedback from children and young people, staff, family members and other professionals into her development plans. Since the last inspection, she has changed the staff recruitment process. This now includes an interview with children and young people. This has been effective. It enables new applicants to gain a better understanding of the nature of the work and gives children and young people a voice about who is to work with them. The registered manager has also developed the process that staff follow when they talk to children or young people after incidents of restraint. This helps children to communicate their views, wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management of the home is excellent. Staff have access to relevant up-to-date plans and documents, and the registered manager closely monitors the effectiveness of the service for children and young people. Impact assessments highlight what a child or young person will bring to the home, not just the risks. This has resulted in positive matching of the children and young people who live here. Family members and professionals, including social workers and therapists, provide extremely positive feedback about the care that staff provide to children and young people and about the excellent communication that they have with staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 6

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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: SC064027 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 5th Floor, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Louise Whittle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC064027 8 to 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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