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

Inspection report children’s home: SC057703 1 SC057703 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 children’s home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who may have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home can accommodate children of any age although they are usually between 12 and 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: 26 November 2019

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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: SC057703 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Good 31/07/2018 Full Good 03/10/2017 Full Outstanding 23/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC057703 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy good relationships with staff who understand their vulnerabilities and needs. Staff encouraged them to express their views through regular children’s meetings, consultations sessions, and informal and focused one-to-one sessions. This means that they can share their wishes and feelings openly and participate in the running of the home. As a result of this, the children develop a sense of self- worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is a priority. Staff encourage them to attend school daily. When barriers to learning occur, staff work with schools and teaching staff to address the issues and overcome the challenges. This means that children benefit from clear plans to support their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well promoted by staff. They can access the physical and mental health services that they need and are supported to attend any medical appointments. For one child, this means that their immunisations are now up to date.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their self-esteem and confidence by encouraging them to participate in a range of activities. These include trips to theme parks and cinema visits. Importantly, staff take photographs of children enjoying these activities, and this provides them with a positive record of their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop life skills as a result of living in this home. They are supported to practice budgeting, shopping, cooking and other general life skills. This means that children are better prepared for later life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to stay in regular contact with their families and friends by providing both emotional and practical support. They appreciate how important these relationships are to children and how these enhance their positive identity.

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

Children’s well-being and safety are promoted. Relevant policies and procedures are in place, and the manager and staff regularly update children’s risk assessments. Staff have a good understanding of risks to children’s safety and use the individual strategies in place to manage and reduce these. Incidents are reported and appropriately recorded. This approach helps staff to protect children from harm.

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

Staff respond appropriately when children go missing from the home. They follow the missing-from-home procedure, which includes searching the local area and contacting children’s families and friends when necessary. When children return to the home, they have independent ‘return home’ interviews. This gives children the Inspection report children’s home: SC057703 4 opportunity to discuss any concerns that they have, and any issues that may lead them to go missing from the home in the future.

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

The manager considers the impact new admissions will have on children already living in the home. This process is supported by a detailed risk assessment. This helps the manager to look at the individual and collective risks and needs of the children and assess the suitability of children to live together. This ensures that the needs of all children can be met.

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

Staff recruitment ensures that all checks and verification processes are completed before new staff are able to work with children. This provides assurance that staff are suitably vetted to provide care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager. The registered manager knows the children well and has a clear focus on developing the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has auditing tools in place to monitor the children’s progress, staff performance, and the overall quality of care that children receive. Despite these monitoring systems, inspectors found an electric cable in a child’s bedroom that had not been identified as a possible fire hazard. This shortfall could potentially put the child at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that Ofsted is notified of the majority of serious and significant incidents. However, on one recent occasion, an incident was not reported as required. This means that Ofsted did not have the opportunity to review the appropriateness of the actions taken to protect children from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to care for children effectively. Training records are up to date and identify when the next training course is due. New staff receive a well-structured induction programme. This ensures that staff are equipped to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported in their roles. They receive regular reflective supervision that helps them to consider children’s progress and their own development and well-being. Regular team meetings provide an opportunity for staff and mangers to share learning and challenge practice. This means that staff are encouraged to think about how practice can be improved, and this creates a supportive environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have good working relationships with other professionals and with children’s families. This supports partnership working and means that children’s welfare is better protected. Inspection report children’s home: SC057703 5

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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 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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 17 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 17 January 2022

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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: SC057703 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

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Inspectors

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Janine Shortman-Thomas, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report children’s home: SC057703 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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