Children's home run by De Novo Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 1 Registered provider: De Novo Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The statement of purpose confirms that the home can provide care for up to three children. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/08/2019 Full Good 29/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the same two children remain living in this home. The children are relaxed and comfortable here and the atmosphere in the home is like that of a positive family home. The children are very positive about the adults who care for them and shared examples of the progress they have achieved since moving into the home. Similarly, the staff spoke about the children like a proud parent. Staff have successfully created a warm, welcoming and well-resourced living environment for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs. Diaries and memory books provide the children with a visual reminder of activities they have enjoyed and memorable events they have experienced since living in the home. Staff are good at celebrating children’s progress and achievements. This helps children’s confidence grow and their relationships with staff to flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff understand the importance of children’s learning needs being met. One child’s attendance and engagement at school have improved as a result. Staff are supporting the second child with a distance learning programme. Prior to moving into the home, the child refused to engage with education due to experiencing high levels of anxiety. Now, each morning she puts on her school uniform and engages in an individualised learning programme that is managed by the school she is enrolled at. This progress is significant, and a credit to the staff, who have worked closely with the school and helped the child to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that they feel listened to and said that they would speak to any one of the staff if they were concerned or worried. Children are consulted with regularly; this includes informal discussions, house meetings and one-to-one discussion. Despite this, records of this consultation do not always show the children’s contribution or if requests made at the previous meeting have been considered or acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to identify their own needs; they are supported by the staff to compile their own care planning document. These bespoke documents inform staff of the children’s preferred daily routines, where they feel they need support and what targets they are working towards. These plans align with the children’s local authority care plans and the home’s internal documents.

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

The management of safeguarding concerns is effective. The registered manager and staff receive regular updated training on safeguarding and physical intervention. They understand how to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns and have done so appropriately when required. A positive and cohesive working relationship has been maintained with safeguarding agencies. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 4 The registered manager appropriately shares safeguarding information disclosed by children with their placing authorities. Records are well maintained and detail the concern and the actions taken by the registered manager. Despite this, the registered manager does not routinely gain feedback from the child’s placing authority to confirm whether the information shared is historical or new information.

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

The staff manage children’s anxieties and frustrations well. The staff have the skills to develop trusted relationships with the children. This has been a contributing influence in the reduction of incidents. Children understand and respond well to the routines and boundaries that are consistently maintained by the staff team. As a result, children say that they feel safe.

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

Since the last inspection, children have not gone missing from the home or complained about the care and support they receive. There has been one incident which resulted in the staff having to physically hold a child. The hold was for a limited amount of time and only used to prevent harm to the child and others. Staff recruitment procedures are in place and are implemented effectively by the leaders and managers This means that children are cared for by adults who managers have assessed as suitable to meet their needs.

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good

Since the last inspection, the retention and recruitment of staff have been problematic. To ensure continuity of care, the responsible individual and registered manager have worked alongside newly recruited staff and worked vacant shifts to ensure that the quality of care and support children receive is maintained. Agency staff have not worked at this home.

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good

Weaknesses identified at this inspection relate to records. For example, the one record of physical intervention does not detail the actual duration of the intervention and the techniques used. Similarly, not all records include confirmation that those with parental responsibility are notified when a significant incident occurs. These weaknesses have not had a negative impact on the children’s care, health or well- being.

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good

The staff team confirmed that the registered manager leads by example, and that she provides them with the support they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively. The registered manager provides her team with supportive, effective leadership.

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good

The registered manager ensures that all staff receive regular formal supervisions and team meetings take place regularly. Staff attendance is good. Despite this, the minutes of these meetings do not detail the staff’s contribution or if the registered manager has shared information and recommendations made by the independent visitor. This does not provide the team with an opportunity to develop their Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 5 professional development or enhance their understanding of the children’s homes regulations.

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good

The registered manager regularly consults with the children and team about how they can improve the home and the quality of care that children receive. Opportunities to maximise the use of the vast grounds are being explored. The ideas gathered have not yet been formalised or included in the home’s development plan. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)) 30 July 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that best use of information from independent and internal monitoring is made, to ensure continuous improvement. This particularly refers to ensuring that discussions about outcomes from monitoring activities are included in supervision sessions and that the written Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 7 development plan is formalised to include ideas that the management team have to improve the quality of care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that records of staff supervisions and team meetings are of a good quality and reflect all agreed actions and findings from monitoring activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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: 1277584 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bank Green House, Fox Lane, Holmesfield, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 7WG

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277584 9 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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