Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 1 SC036009 Registered provider: Sheffield City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is operated by a local authority to provide a short-break service for up to six children who have physical and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2010.

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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

Date of last inspection: 22 September 2021

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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: SC036009 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/09/2021 Full Outstanding 04/03/2020 Full Outstanding 05/12/2018 Full Good 31/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thoroughly enjoy their short break stays. They are excited when they arrive, and with support from kind and friendly staff, they relax quickly. Children are trusting of staff who place children at the centre of their attention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attuned staff understand the subtle ways in which children express themselves. Staff know children very well and are responsive to their needs and requests. Children are encouraged to use specialist communication aids and meet with an advocate. This ensures their voice is heard and their confidence grows.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote friendships between children through carefully considered planning, and they understand what activities children like. They go on day trips and have parties. Children make friendships during their stays that carry on after their visits. Families appreciate the invites to events as this enables parents to meet carers and each other. One parent was very pleased to see their child’s ‘Confidence and laughter’ during the Platinum Jubilee party.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for children and deliver effectively planned care. The ‘shared-care’ ethos involving families and professionals ensures that children’s daily routines are upheld and that they make progress. They become increasingly independent and celebrate these achievements with their staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff manage children’s complex health needs with confidence and sensitivity. The calm atmosphere, specialist equipment and ample space mean children are comfortable during their stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Tea visits and introductions help children settle into their short break stays quickly. Children are familiar with their surroundings and the staff who will be caring for them before their first overnight stay. Children moving on from the home celebrate and have fond memories they take with them into adulthood.

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

The well-equipped and child-friendly environment in which children stay is safe and spotlessly clean. Diligent staff supervise children closely and ensure that the environment is free from potential hazards. Children feel safe, and this is seen in their demeanour and presentation.

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

The staff are insightful and knowledgeable of the risks to children. This gives parents confidence that their child is well looked after. Children’s individual risk management plans offer clear and current strategies, which staff follow. This reduces risks for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 4 The procedures for administering children’s medication are not consistently applied. This has, at times, resulted in delay or errors. When this has happened, staff are quick to respond and review children’s health needs with parents and health practitioners to minimise any effects. The manager delivers training that has been effective in improving staff’s practise. However, the manager has not reviewed individual staff competency checks.

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

Personal safety plans and training for staff ensure that staff have guidance on how to support children in the event of a fire. Fire evacuations take place. However, not all children have taken part.

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

Trained staff uphold their responsibility as safeguarding practitioners. They make effective contributions when working in partnership with families and professionals. This protects children and ensures that they receive the correct help and support.

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

Staff are suitably vetted to work at the home, and the overall standard of care practise is good. There has been no involvement of the local authority designated officer other than to provide training on their role. Staff understand the procedures to follow should they have a cause for concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children spend time enjoying activities in the community with their staff, and the manager makes assessments of how safe the local area is. However, consultation with other professionals to inform risk in the community is not evident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the care team thoroughly enjoy their work. They are united as most have worked together for a long period of time. The welcoming team and good induction process help new workers to settle into their role well. Staff are keen role models and invest in each other’s learning as they embrace their own professional development opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training relevant to the specific needs of children underpins staff’s knowledge. A creative approach enables learning opportunities through team ‘away days’ alongside regular team meetings. Each day staff contribute to handover discussions, and they have regular formal supervision. The manager takes steps to promote reflective practice but is yet to embed this within the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The improved quality of care review considers what others have to say about the service. The manager understands what is going well and has clear progressive plans for further service development. The manager welcomes the scrutiny that the independent person’s monthly reports provide, and takes necessary action to improve the quality of these visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Information pertinent to children’s care is available as the manager effectively challenges those responsible when this is not the case. The manager places a high value on talking about what children and their families need. The inclusive approach to children’s care is unanimously held in high regard. A parent said, ‘Staff go above Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 5 and beyond in helping life at home and with [child’s name] care during their stay. A professional said, ‘I am proud of [child’s name] being there.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to apply the correct medication procedures. 2 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

The register person must ensure that staff and children accounting for their level of need participate in regular evacuations. 2 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). 2 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 7 When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the views and information shared from supporting professionals inform the locality risk assessment.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that supervision records show that all staff receive reflective supervision. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC036009 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sheffield City Council, Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspectors

Alexandra Howitt, Social Care Inspector Sadie Mulkeen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 9 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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