Children's home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 1 SC038237 Registered provider: Darlington Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. The home provides short- break care for up to five children with sensory impairment and/or learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2013. She holds suitable qualifications for this role.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2022 Full Good 14/01/2020 Full Good 18/02/2019 Full Good 12/12/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good experiences at the home and they enjoy positive relationships with staff. The home is equipped with sensory toys and a large garden where children can enjoy water play and other play equipment. This offers the children a stimulating and fun environment where they can spend time with staff who they trust.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise that some children struggle with their daily transitions in and out of the home. Staff manage these well through consistent routines that mirror children’s home and school life. This structure helps to reduce children’s anxieties and helps them to settle quickly at the start of their short-break stay.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Photographs of the children enjoying activities are included in their ‘My Stay’ book. Staff record and monitor children’s achievements in developing their personal and social skills. These are recognised by staff with positive praise and rewards. This develops children’s confidence and supports their well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use the home’s specially adapted equipment, such as profiling beds and baths, to help children develop their independence skills. Staff work closely with parents and education staff, and attend care planning meetings. This multi-agency response means that children’s life skills are enhanced and are progressing. For example, one child is making significant progress with their toileting programme.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff share children’s experiences with the children’s parents, carers and social workers through verbal and written feedback. Children’s parents and carers said that they had no concerns with the communication and that they were contacted frequently with updates on their children.

p.3

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

Risk assessments and behavioural support plans are put together following consultation with parents, carers, teachers and social workers. Children’s individual risks, triggers and behavioural traits are clearly identified in their plans. These plans provide staff with clear actions to follow to reduce the risk of harm to children. However, children who have a risk of going missing do not have an individualised protocol in place. This oversight has the potential to expose children to the risk of harm should they go missing from the home.

p.3

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

Incidents with children are rare. Staff use the strategies identified in each child’s individual support plan to reduce children’s anxieties. Incidents are reviewed by the manager and plans are put in place to ensure that all children are kept safe. This means that the safety of children is at the centre of staff practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 4 Children are supported to understand fire risks and the fire evacuation process through creative play and social stories with staff. Furthermore, each child has a personal evacuation plan, which ensures that children are kept safe in the event of a fire.

p.3

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

There is an effective system in place to ensure that children’s medication is received, stored and administered safely. This ensures that staff continue to meet children’s health needs as required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and confidently leads staff. She is supported well by two seniors and a dedicated staff team, who provide good care to children during their short-break stays.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they are supported in their role by the management team. They receive regular supervision and relevant training. Team meetings demonstrate a thorough overview of the service, with staff discussing a range of topics and reflecting on children’s progress and areas of support. This helps to ensure consistent staff practice that supports children’s development and progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective internal monitoring and audit processes in place. The care provided to the children is reviewed monthly by an independent visitor. The manager has identified that there has not been any recommendations for a number of months and has therefore requested a new visitor. This is good practice and will enhance the scrutiny and oversight of the service to ensure that it continues to develop to meet children’s needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Careful planning and matching give children the chance to stay at the home at the same time as their friends who have similar needs and interests. Staff’s focus is on making sure that children have fun during their stays. Parents say that their children enjoy their stays at the home and that staff take them on lots of activities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents, carers, teachers and other professionals raise no concerns with the quality of care that the children receive. Parents and carers said that they do not worry about their children when they stay at the home and that the registered manager is flexible with children’s short breaks.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The welcome pack for children, parents and carers is informative. This helps them to understand the arrangements in place for children’s care, and the steps that they can take if they wish to make a complaint. Social stories are used by staff to explain this to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.5

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)) 22 December

p.5

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: SC038237 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Darlington Borough Council

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Feethams, Darlington, County Durham DL1 5QT

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Bell

p.6

Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC038237 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7