Children's Home run by Doncaster Children‟s Services Trust Limited in Doncaster

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 1 SC032167

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Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A trust runs this children’s home. It provides short breaks and long-term care for up to 10 children with physical and/or learning disabilities. Short breaks include a combination of overnight care, tea visits and day care during school holidays.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered in January 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The home was last visited in June 2019 when a full inspection was carried out. Due to the restrictions in place relating to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the current visit was carried out off site. The visit was undertaken to explore potential breaches of regulations in relation to the management of safeguarding incidents, medication errors and fire safety. The visit included a review of documents, and discussions with children, staff and relevant professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Children are happy and settled during their short breaks and receive nurturing care from staff. Staff have been resourceful in providing the children with positive activities during the periods of national COVID-19 restrictions. Examples include celebrating children’s mental health week, holding a harvest festival and displaying art exhibitions. These activities enabled the children to have fun, make progress and develop interests.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have helped the children to gain a better understanding of the pandemic through looking at easy-read documents and photographs and participating in the weekly ‘clap for carers’. Staff also made changes in the home to keep everyone safe . For example, staff and children formed bubbles to reduce the risk of virus transmission. This helped to keep everyone safe and protected.

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This monitoring visit

Staff prioritise the safety and well-being of children. When concerns are raised the staff respond quickly and effectively. The manager and staff follow established Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 2 procedures and work alongside others to ensure that there are measures in place to reduce risks. This promotes the safety and well-being of children.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, staff made a mistake when administering medication to a child. This error was immediately reported to the manager who conducted a thorough review of the circumstances. Both the staff and the manager acted swiftly to seek medical advice and reduce the likelihood of repetition. That said, this error had the potential to impact on the child’s health and safety.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to and during the pandemic, there was a delay in the routine maintenance of some aspects of the fire equipment. This has now been completed. During this period, the staff continued to check the function of the fire detection system and practised fire evacuations with the children. However, not all children have been involved in these evacuations, and none were held during the night-time. This means that the manager and staff have been unable to reassure themselves that evacuation plans are achievable and effective.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s statement of purpose was updated in January 2021 but does not include the details of the experience and qualifications of staff. This means that the statement of purpose does not meet the relevant regulation.

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This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection, there were four requirements and two recommendations made. There was insufficient opportunity to consider these during this monitoring visit and therefore they will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/06/2019 Full Good 30/04/2018 Full Outstanding 03/01/2018 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 02 August 2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 02 August 2019

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 02 August 2019

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 02 August 2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 4 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the admission of a child and the impact that this placement had on others and the child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to details of the experience and qualifications of staff. 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to undertaking night-time fire evacuation practises. 30 April 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2).

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

This is with particular reference to the children’s records being reviewed in line with the home’s statement of purpose and clearly evidencing that the staff have read and understood the content within the documents. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 5

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Colonnades House, Duke Street, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN1 1ER

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Inspector

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032167 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 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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