Children's home run by Hertfordshire County Council in Dacorum

Inspection report children's home: SC458141 1 SC458141 Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care for up to seven children aged between 10 and 18 years who have been assessed as unable to live in the family home and require a period of positive residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has over 20 years’ experience of working with children with learning and physical disabilities. She registered in May 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 7 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 December 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC458141 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2019 Full Good 16/05/2018 Full Good 02/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC458141 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress with their independence, social and emotional and personal care skills. Children have formed extremely good relationships with staff. They benefit from secure, positive relationships with skilled staff who understand children’s individual communication needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the importance of routines for children. Staff provide a daily structure that helps children to understand what is happening next. Some children have these routines displayed in their bedrooms using symbols. This helps them to follow their routine and alleviates anxieties for some children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individualised, child-centred placement plans which are reviewed regularly and guide the staff effectively. The plans help staff to understand every aspect of each child’s daily needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use innovative and imaginative ways to ensure that children have experiences and participate in activities that they enjoy and are meaningful to them. Photos are taken and added to children’s memory books as a record of the positive experiences during their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have excellent working relationships with children’s schools and work closely with the therapists and school nurse. For one child, the school staff and the home’s staff share a protocol on mealtimes and eating. This means that there is consistency for the child that has enabled him to manage mealtimes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide regular key-work sessions and children’s meetings. They fully involve children in making choices about the home. Children participate in decisions, using their preferred method of communication, on activities, menus and decorating the home. The children’s wishes and feelings are listened to and acted on. This helps children to feel that their views are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised. They have chosen the colours for the walls and the soft furnishings and pictures for their rooms. A social worker said that the bedrooms are some of the most personalised that she has seen. Children develop a sense of belonging because of the quality of their environment.

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

Staff know their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They have appropriate safeguarding training and report concerns. Parents and social workers said that children are safe because the staff know and understand their individual vulnerabilities. Inspection report children's home: SC458141 4 Staff rarely use sanctions because they would not be effective or meaningful due to children’s level of understanding. Instead, staff focus on children’s positive behaviours. Celebrations and recognition of these are instant, as this has the best impact on the children.

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

Staff challenge any unwelcome behaviours appropriately. They consider the level of children’s individual understanding and ability to communicate. When appropriate, staff follow up these behaviours in key-work sessions or using social stories to help children to develop their understanding.

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

Most of the children are unable to make a complaint. However, due to the staff’s intuitive understanding of the children, they can determine whether children are unhappy, and act to rectify the worry.

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

Risk assessments are comprehensive and individualised. These are regularly reviewed and updated and support the staff to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since December 2020 and has the relevant qualifications and experience to manage the home. She has a clear vision for the home and recognises the strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are clearly at the centre of staff’s practice. Parents said that the manager is approachable and knowledgeable about their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager confidently raises issues with other professionals if any actions or proposed actions are not in the best interest of the child. As a result, children receive the care that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular, effective supervision which they say supports them in working with the children and develops their skills and understanding. Regular staff meetings enable the staff to share and develop good practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication between social workers and the staff is effective. A social worker said that key workers are knowledgeable about the children and play an active part in children’s meetings and reviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A parent said that the staff understand her child’s needs well and have been able to build trusting relationships with the child. Consequently, the child has been able to develop her personal care skills, which has opened many new opportunities for her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The location risk assessment has been updated. However, it does not clearly identify the risks in the area and the strategies in place to minimise these. This means that staff may not fully understand the risks or the extra safety measures that may need to be put in place. Inspection report children's home: SC458141 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the location review includes the identification of any risks presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: SC458141 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8DQ

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC458141 7 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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