Children's Home run by Devon County Council in Devon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 1 Registered provider: Devon County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority and registered to provide care for one child. The child may have a physical and/or learning disability and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the registered manager moved to manage another home; she subsequently resigned her registration with Ofsted. Currently, while a permanent manager is being recruited, a registered manager from another of the local authority’s children’s homes is managing this home.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/03/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, the care and support provided to the child have enabled significant improvements in all aspects of her life. Weekly multidisciplinary meetings support these improvements and allow the team to plan for her care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Meaningful constructive relationships with a core staff team allow the child to feel safe and able to build trust in adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends full-time education, and she has taken some core subject exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked in partnership with specialist health professionals, parents and the child to improve her emotional and psychological health. The child says that she is happy. She likes her care team and feels less anxious. Medication has been gradually reduced in a planned way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child spends time with those who are important to her. She regularly visits siblings and parents. Her family is made welcome at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A substantive record of the child’s time in the home is being kept. A ‘My Story’ document is produced each month as well as lots of photos of activities. The activities provided are developing the child’s independence skills as well as broadening her horizons. She is involved in cooking and artwork and she recently enjoyed a trip to a theme park. The child is enabled to be independent; she can use public transport and spends some time out of the house on her own.

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

Risks are understood by the staff, recorded accurately, and acted on.

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

The child trusts the staff to act in her best interests and to keep her safe. The child feels listened to and where possible her requests are actioned. Staff maintain clear boundaries and expectations.

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

Behaviour management plans are clear in identifying and dealing with potential consequences of anxiety and distress. There has been a gradual reduction in the severity and frequency of dangerous incidents. Consequently, the need to use physical intervention to keep the child and others safe is also reduced to very low levels.

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

The progress for the child since the previous inspection is exceptional; both the child and a parent describe things as ‘100% improved’.

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

A core team of qualified and experienced staff care for the child and risk management is informed by support from other specialist agencies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 4 Staff receive the support and training they need to equip them effectively.

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

Arrangements for the safe storage and administration of medication have improved; these are now suitable. Audits are completed with the help of a health professional. This acts as an additional safety measure.

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good

The home provides services and support as described in the statement of purpose.

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good

Despite a dedicated effort to recruit a permanent manager for the home, this post remains vacant. A permanent full staff team is not yet fully in place.

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good

Recruitment records have improved; however, some ambiguity remains around references for agency workers.

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good

Leaders, managers and staff have rallied since the previous inspection to provide a core team of experienced and qualified staff from across the organisation. Strengths and weaknesses of the home are fully understood, and action continues to be taken to improve the quality of care. An understanding, can-do and enthusiastic attitude exists among those working in the home. Staff have the skills to ensure continuing progress for the child. Stakeholders are particularity grateful and impressed by the loyalty and competence of the acting manager and the responsible individual.

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good

Independent monitoring of the home provides additional safeguards for children and contributes to ongoing improvements. Monitoring and support provided by managers is effective in ensuring that staff have the knowledge, skills and information needed to meet children’s complex needs. Work in partnership with other agencies, especially health and education professionals, aids this process.

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good

Clear records support understanding of the child’s needs and are also used to track and evidence progress. Reflective practice, quality supervision and team meetings ensure the continuing development of staff skills in the use of effective intervention strategies.

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good

The environment is safe, well maintained and personalised by the child. Plans are in place for a complete restructuring and refurbishment of the home to improve it further. Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 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 promotes their welfare.

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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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 14 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 31 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 6 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,

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Requirement Due date

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.

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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: 2529648 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Devon County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chief Executive’s Directorate, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD

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Inspector

Janice Hawtin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2529648 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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