Children's home run by Derbyshire County Council in Derbyshire Dales

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 1 SC062536

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Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to six children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was appointed in March 2022 and is now registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 27 September 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children have some good and trusting relationships with staff. Staff are very playful with children, and children respond well to this. Children enjoy face painting, baking and preparing meals with staff.

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The care of children

Staff are working to make the home a positive, nurturing environment that children enjoy. Some shortfalls previously identified relating to the environment have been put right. Children have had some input into how the home looks, including the decor and furniture. This promotes a safe, warm and nurturing environment that children can enjoy. The work to update the home continues.

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The care of children

Children are receiving regular key-work sessions with staff, to support them with matters that are important to them. This has included helping children to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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The care of children

Children are supported to access child and adolescent mental health services when appropriate and this support is maintained. For example, the staff ensured that when one child left the home, this support was maintained in their new placement.

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The care of children

Some children are engaged in education and making progress from their starting points. The manager and local authority have worked together to ensure that children have individualised plans for their care and education. This means that children are more engaged in education and making some progress.

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The care of children

Children enjoy positive activities and interactions with each other and staff. There is a fun and playful feel to the home. Staff understand the importance of play in their roles, and this is encouraged with children. This helps children to form crucial bonds with those caring for them.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding processes and procedures are followed by the staff and manager. The manager notifies the relevant safeguarding agencies of any concerning incidents. There has been an improvement in safeguarding practice, with good multi-agency collaboration. However, there has been one occasion of poor supervision of children. Following this incident, performance management and safeguarding processes were implemented by leaders and the manager.

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The safety of children

Should any shortfalls in staff practice be identified, the organisation undertakes the appropriate investigations to explore learning and make improvements to staff Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 3 practice. This ensures that lessons are learned and any changes required are quickly implemented.

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The safety of children

The manager has implemented several systems to improve safeguarding practice. She ensures robust oversight of incidents. Risk assessments are reviewed and shared with staff, so they understand how to keep children safe. Communication has improved and several systems are in place to ensure that staff are kept informed. This includes improved shift management arrangements and staff handovers.

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The safety of children

Missing-from-care incidents have reduced. For some children, there has been a significant reduction since they moved to the home. While there have been no formal missing-from-care incidents since the last inspection, there was one incident when children left the home without supervision for a very short period. The staff ensured that their return home was managed sensitively and sought support from social workers to gather children’s views.

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The safety of children

Children’s behaviour has improved, with a reduction in challenging behaviour. The positive relationships with staff and good routines help children to regulate their behaviour. This has led to fewer incidents of physical intervention to manage more difficult behaviours.

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The safety of children

There were some indications of bullying behaviours between children new to the home. Staff were proactive and professionally curious to ensure that children were being supervised and risks were being mitigated against. This was balanced with an understanding of new and changed dynamics in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is proactive and has been working hard to develop consistent improvement in the home. She has been successful in her registration with Ofsted. The vacant deputy manager post has continued to put extra pressure on the home’s leadership team. However, staff recruitment is now improving, and the manager and staff are much more confident about the skills and confidence of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The requirements set at the last inspection have been met in part, but improvements are yet to be fully embedded. The manager and staff have responded to the shortfalls appropriately. There has been significant progress in the management and oversight of systems. This has led to improved communication between staff. The staff also have a better understanding of processes. This was evidenced in a variety of ways but notable improvements were seen in shift management and handovers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are receiving more regular supervisions and the manager provides the staff with good support. Staff said that they were confident that if they raised any matters of concern, that these would be responded to by the manager. The manager ensures that staff receive group supervision that supports their development and approaches to care practice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 4 The staff attend regular team meetings and have received the required training to meet children’s needs. This has focused on positive behaviour management and there are plans to further develop staff to improve skills. Staff morale has improved, and staff are recognising the improvement journey they are on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has taken the difficult decision to end one child’s placement. This was assessed and escalated based on the best interests of the child and the remaining children in the home. The manager is confident enough to make difficult decisions that focus on the safety and well-being of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A statutory requirement was made following the last inspection in relation to the recording and monitoring of physical interventions. This could not be reviewed because there have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. Staff are ensuring that positive alternative strategies are used to prevent the need for physical intervention.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The regulation 45 report has not been completed and submitted to Ofsted. There was some confusion as to why this had not been completed. A requirement is set relating to regulation 45 monitoring reports.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/07/2022 Full Inadequate 09/02/2022 Full Good 15/10/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2) (h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring all records are reviewed and monitored by the manager and establishing children’s views about their own care plans. 28 April 2023

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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

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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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; 28 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 6 the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring physical interventions are completed accurately, reviewed and monitored in a timely manner. The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality-of-care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person 28 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 7 intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed;

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality-of-care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The provider should produce a regulation 45 report and submit this to Ofsted.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Derbyshire County Council, County Offices, Matlock DE4 3AG

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC062536 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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