Children's Home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Barnsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 1 SC471178 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

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager of the home became registered with Ofsted on 17 August 2020 and is suitably qualified for the role.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 5 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2019 Full Outstanding 11/12/2018 Full Outstanding 14/11/2017 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences living at the home. Through the support from staff, children are taken on activities such as going to the caravan for holidays, retail therapy, and going for walks. The time children spend with staff is meaningful. Children benefit from nurturing relationships from staff, which has resulted in them forming positive attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with their psychological well-being through direct work with a mental health practitioner. This is helping the children to cope better when they are feeling anxious. Staff also seek support from the therapist and apply strategies to their approach. This has resulted in children trusting the staff around them. One child said, ‘I feel safe here, I can talk to staff about how I feel, and that’s because I trust them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s education is a focus for the registered manager. One child left school achieving eight GCSEs. One teacher said, ‘If you’d asked me was [child’s name] was going to pass their exams before moving to the home, I would have said no. It was staff that got [child’s name] there.’ Where there are barriers to children’s education, the registered manager advocates on their behalf. This helps to ensure that children reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is supported by the staff with their independence. The child is now capable of budgeting their money appropriately, such as buying and cooking food, and has the understanding of saving for things that they want to buy. Developing these skills is preparing the child for independent living, and provides them with skills that they can use throughout their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact is supported and facilitated when needed by staff. In difficult situations, the registered manager has a diplomatic approach towards family members. While listening to their views and opinions, she also reiterates what is best for the child.

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

Staff spoken to at the inspection were aware of children’s risks. They have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and know what action to take to reduce the risk of harm. Nevertheless, some risk assessments do not provide staff with clear actions to follow should a child use a ligature. This lack of clarity does not assist staff in knowing what procedure to follow in the event of this presenting risk.

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

Missing from home incidents receive a multi-agency response. Staff at the home liaise with police to ensure that children are located as quickly as possible. Following the child’s return, the child is welcomed back by the nurturing staff who talk to the child about going missing. Welfare checks from the police and return home Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 4 interviews are carried out. This re-enforces to the child that adults around them do care about their welfare.

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

Behaviors are managed in line with the children’s plans. Staff spoken to at the inspection all stated that the staff team has a consistent approach to helping children manage their emotions. This helps to reduce children’s anxieties and helps them to develop their social awareness.

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

Staff do respond to self-harm in line with children’s plans. Children engage with staff during direct work with the children to raise their awareness around self-harm. Records confirm that there has been a reduction in self-harm incidents. This is because children feel safe enough to tell staff about their worries.

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good

The registered manager is experienced in her role and supported by a deputy manager. Together, they are widely respected by staff and other professionals. They both lead by example which determines the nurturing ethos of the home.

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good

The home has faced its challenges with staffing issues and dealing with the impact of COVID-19. However, the registered manager has worked hard to ensure that this has not been detrimental to the children’s well-being or progress.

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good

Some of the registered manager’s monitoring systems have not identified shortfalls in a timely manner. However, the registered manager and deputy did take action at the time of the inspection to rectify some of the deficits.

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good

The registered manager has not notified Ofsted of serious incidents. This does not provide information on how safeguarding incidents are managed. Failure to notify Ofsted of serious incidents is a breech in regulation.

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good

The registered manager holds reflective and regular supervisions and team meetings. This supports staff development and gives staff a chance to share practice and learn new skills. Training is discussed in supervisions. However, at the time of the inspection, not all staff had completed ligature training. This does not provide staff with the relevant skills for their role.

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good

One child’s statutory plans are not up to date. This means that the plans in place do not provide the registered manager and staff with up-to-date information about the child. Although this has no direct impact on the child, it means that all professionals are working with plans that do not reflect the child’s current situation.

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good

New staff at the home receive an appropriate induction. There is evidence that new starters have completed inductions which helps them to settle into the home and gives them required information to fulfil their roles. Documenting inductions helps to monitor development, and evaluate strengths and weaknesses of new staff members. Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 3 March 2022

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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

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

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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)(c)(h)) 3 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 3 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 6 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 3 March 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 for children’s home: SC471178 7

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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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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC471178 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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