Children's Home, Residential special school run by Hesley Services Limited in Doncaster

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 1 SC035687

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Hesley Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a residential special school owned by a private company. It is registered as a children’s home and offers care and accommodation for up to 37 children and young people who have a learning disability and/or learning difficulties, together with complex needs, including behaviour that may challenge. This children’s home is made up of a number of separate houses. The manager has been registered since June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection was undertaken to ascertain and assess the safety of the children living at this home. Inspectors followed the health and safety guidelines in respect of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection was due to an escalation in concerns about the provider that may have compromised the safety, well-being and quality of care of the children and young people. Since the last full inspection, there have been in excess of 14 regulation 40 notifications relating to care practice and child protection concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The inspectors found that the children and young people’s care, safety and well- being are of a good standard. The children and young people’s complex needs, risks and vulnerabilities are well known and understood by staff and the management team. Staff are vigilant in reporting any shortfalls or concerns in care practice, and the manager has taken immediate and swift action to investigate and address such concerns.

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This monitoring visit

All safeguarding, child protection and any other incidents of concern are recorded in line with procedures. The quality and robustness of the recording remains an issue. It is not easy to follow the sequence of events, and in some cases there is a lack of management oversight, evaluation and decision-making. The manager has taken on Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 2 board this shortfall and has acknowledged the importance of updating the outcome of the investigation or allegation in accordance with the regulations.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is experiencing a developing culture in which a small number of staff are bullying each other. This behaviour is not acceptable and does not set a good example or promote a homely and nurturing environment for the children and young people living there. The manager has begun to address this and recruited anti- bullying champions and created a bullying reporting tool.

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This monitoring visit

This is a large home that employs in excess of 200 staff. The turnover of staff is high, and the use of agency staff, particularly in this current climate, has been necessary. There have been situations when newly appointed staff and in particular agency staff have not received the appropriate induction. In some situations, staff have felt ill equipped in providing care in accordance with the child or young person’s care plans. The manager has taken proactive action and introduced an induction checklist that is currently being embedded into the recruitment process.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/11/2019 Full Good 28/11/2018 Full Good 12/12/2017 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s homes overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(3)(c)(i)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make sure that new staff including agency staff have a thorough and consistent shadowing experience during their induction to prepare them for caring for the children and young people. 30/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)) 30/06/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 4 In particular, provide more succinct and sequential detail to the chronology of actions and in evidencing decision-making, oversight and challenge where appropriate. The provider needs to ensure that updates are submitted following the completion of the investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(b)(c)(e)) 30/06/2020

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 5

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hesley Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hesley Hall Coach House, Hesley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN11 9HH

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Inspectors

Cath Sikakana, social care inspector Jamie Richardson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035687 6 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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