Children's Home run by Dimensions Care Limited in Coventry

Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 1 Registered provider: Dimensions Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for three children who have experienced childhood trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and is registered with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable as the home was registered with Ofsted on 16 September 2021

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Two children moved from the home after living there for a short period of time. Despite challenging circumstances for these children, they were supported to move into and on from the home positively and safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with individualised care, which promotes their welfare and progress. Staff receive specialist training to enable them to do so. For example, staff undertake ‘dyadic developmental practice’ which incorporates elements of playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy training. This enables staff to provide positive parenting which takes account of children’s lived trauma. As a result, children’s emotional and mental health is improving and children report feeling settled and happy at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is attending full-time education, and another is receiving home tutoring while awaiting a school place to be confirmed. Staff and the manager effectively challenged partner agencies to progress this child’s education plan. When children struggle with their education, staff work well with teachers to identify appropriate support to re-engage them. However, children are not yet making measurable and sustained progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff undertake regular key-work sessions with children and there are further opportunities for children to express their wishes and feelings at children’s meetings. As a result, children contribute to their daily care and the running of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy various leisure activities, such as going out for meals, fishing, shopping, going on holiday and day trips to the seaside. Children are developing hobbies and interests as well as building their social skills and self-esteem. Furthermore, children feel part of the community because of their involvement in different activities outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The communal areas of the home are beautifully decorated to a high standard and provide a living environment that is warm and homely. Children have opportunities to personalise their bedrooms, which they enjoy doing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the managers encourage the children to do chores around the home such as cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry, helping with budgeting and doing the household shopping. This is promoting children’s independence skills and prepares them for transitions into adulthood. Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 4

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

Staff know children well and understand their risks and vulnerabilities. Consequently, staff can identify and act on any safeguarding concerns to keep children safe. Staff receive relevant training, and clear policies and procedures provide them with guidance to follow whenever there are concerns about a child’s safety. As a result, staff confidently safeguard children and promote their welfare.

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

Staff have undertaken some educational work with children to help them to understand the risks related to county lines, child sexual exploitation, going missing from home and the potential implications of offending behaviour. Consequently, children have a better understanding of such risks and are empowered and equipped to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to safeguard children. Incidents are well managed and records have management oversight. Staff use sanctions that are restorative in nature and help children to understand and improve their behaviour.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff make efforts to contact them and follow them to try to get them to return safely. Children also have return home interviews with an independent person to talk about why they went missing and what happened when they were away.

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

Staff recruitment is generally safe. However, on one occasion the manager did not query discrepancies in one staff member’s employment history and attained staff’s two references from one previous employer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has extensive experience and knowledge. Her monitoring and reviewing of the service is good and effective. She is aware of the strengths of the service and areas of development. The manager is child focused and has high aspirations for all the children. Staff understand the home’s ethos and implement well-informed approaches when caring for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with partner agencies, such as designated officers, local authorities, health services, police and with parents. This ensures that children are provided with the best level of care to help them to make progress. Partner agencies report that the manager keeps them updated on the children’s progress and day-to- day care. Good partnership working contributes to children receiving coordinated care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are very resilient and have maintained a high level of professionalism and commitment to the children, even in the most challenging situations. Staff have put the children’s needs first and continue to provide the best quality of care to them. Managers recognise the challenges that staff face and ensure that staff receive appropriate support. Staff report that they feel well supported by the manager. They Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 5 receive high-quality supervision, which is focused on their well-being, development and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have received relevant training that enables them to meet the children’s diverse needs. Regular team meetings also encourage consistency in practice and supportive relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 6

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8 (1) 6 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 31 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: 2648446 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dimensions Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Brooklands Place, Brooklands Road, Sale, Cheshire M33 3SD

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2648446 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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