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

Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 1 SC481447 Registered provider: Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited Interim 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 five children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2019.

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Inspection date: 23 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 23 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes with children moving into and leaving the home. When living at the home, children have stability, good structured daily routines and a homely environment. Children are happy and say, ‘It’s a really good place to live.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Professionals discuss whether children will do well living together. Children’s moves are well planned through a series of introductions, including tea visits and overnight stays. One child has been on an activity with her new key worker. Children are well prepared. They understand the routines of the home and who will be looking after them. They build positive relationships with other children and settle in quickly.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, some children have moved out of the home to live with parents or into independent accommodation. They develop skills to live independently as targets are set and staff track their achievements through personalised plans. Children are emotionally and practically prepared for their next steps. Children who have left the home remain in contact. They visit and tell staff that they appreciate everything that they have done.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children attend school or alternative educational provisions as staff promote their learning. Staff work in partnership with professionals to review children’s educational needs. Bespoke timetables and meetings with careers advisers support children who are not in education to re-engage. Children explore part-time employment and gain qualifications at college. This enhances the children’s future life opportunities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children make healthy choices and access specialist support around their emotional well-being. A worker from the child and adolescent mental health services advises staff, and a looked after children’s nurse is regularly involved to oversee children’s health needs. As a result of this support, the children’s self-harming behaviour has reduced.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work with professionals to protect children from harm. Multi-agency discussions and the manager’s monitoring of children’s needs inform children’s individual safety plans and risk assessments. Staff understand the risks for children and how to respond as they have clear strategies to follow. Children have day-to-day discussions with staff about personal safety, expectations of their daily arrangements, and risks that they may face when spending time out of the home. One child is successfully working with their safety plan. Consequently, their missing-from-home episodes have reduced considerably. Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 3 The manager attends community meetings with other professionals and assesses the suitability of the location of the home to ensure that children are safe living in the area. Children are helped to understand risk and vulnerabilities around criminality and exploitation. As a result, the antisocial behaviour from children has

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children learn about staying safe online and make agreements with staff about using the internet. As a result, children can recognise risk and share concerns they have when using social media with staff, who praise them for being responsible. Staff are responsive in sharing information with external agencies for investigation, which protects children from potential harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incidents in the home are infrequent and physical intervention is rarely used. The dynamics between children are well managed. However, statements recorded in individual impact assessments around children’s behaviours do not sufficiently alert staff to potential situations. The strategies to mitigate these risks may therefore not be used, which could be detrimental to children’s safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is passionate about providing children with positive life experiences and good-quality care. Monthly reviews and action plans are effective in making improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager notifies professionals and Ofsted of information relating to children in a timely manner. The manager keeps the home’s statement of purpose current when changes occur. However, the manager has not shared the revised statement of purpose with Ofsted for 12 months, which limits Ofsted’s oversight of changes relating to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have additional responsibilities to develop them in their roles. They are long- standing, experienced and child focused in their practice. They build positive relationships with children as they listen to what they have to say. Children receive care from a consistent team of staff who understand what they like to do. Children are now planning holidays and spending time with members of their family who they have not seen for some time. Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/05/2019 Full Good 10/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that the level of detail recorded in children’s impact assessments is sufficient in providing staff with an understanding of which child presents which risk and the strategies to use to mitigate these risks. 29 April 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the revised statement of purpose is shared with Ofsted within 28 days. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC481447 6

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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

Alexandra Howitt, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481447 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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