Children's Home run by DOONAMIS LIMITED in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 1 Registered provider: Doonamis Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company and provides care for up to three children. It provides emergency, short-term to long-term care for children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home registered in September 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 18 January 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation on 25 January 2023. After this visit, two compliance notices in respect of the leadership and management of the home and the help and protection of children were served. On 21 February 2023, Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit and found that the provider had adhered to the restriction of accommodation. However, the visit identified that the provider had not met all of the steps set out in the compliance notices. The restriction of accommodation remained in place. Ofsted served two further compliance notices in respect of the leadership and management of the home and the help and protection of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 3

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have overseen some improvements since the monitoring visit in February 2023. These improvements have resulted in the two compliance notices being met. However, this progress needs to be sustained alongside further improvements before children are receiving good-quality care.

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improvement to be good

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection. One child has moved out of the home and no children have moved into the home. Therefore, the provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice.

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improvement to be good

The child is spending most of their time out of the home. The interactions with staff are minimal. The staff are exploring ways to get the child to engage with activities and to spend time at the home. Staff have found some activities that the child likes, and there has been some positive engagement. However, the progress is in its infancy.

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improvement to be good

The child’s attendance in education has recently declined. Staff have offered the child incentives and are working closely with the school to look at potential barriers to attendance. Consequently, attendance has recently begun to improve.

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improvement to be good

One child moved on as staff were unable to keep her safe. Staff worked with local police to support the child. A specialist police officer said that staff had shared concerns and intelligence appropriately in their efforts to safeguard the child.

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improvement to be good

Children’s written plans have improved and are now acceptable. Information is more detailed and outlines targets and plans for children. This helps to provide staff with the guidance to work consistently with the children.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have overseen some improvements to the overall approach to safeguarding since the monitoring visit. However, some shortfalls need to be addressed before the help and protection offered to children is consistently good.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, when a child was missing, drug paraphernalia was found in their bedroom. On the child’s return to the home, the child requested their pocket money, which was given, and then left the home for the second time. The staff failed to consider the appropriateness of this decision. This does not support children to understand that there are consequences to their actions. The staff have failed to share clear expectations of behaviours or explore the potential risks to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 4 One child has increased incidents of going missing from the home. This child has since moved on from the home. When the child left the home, the staff followed the missing protocol and searched for the child. The staff recorded a clear chronology of events and were welcoming and curious on the child’s return. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that the location risk assessment includes pertinent new

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improvement to be good

information gained by the staff about where the child went.

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improvement to be good

Staff are aware of how to report safeguarding concerns and who they should report these to. Staff have safeguarding training and understand the home’s whistle- blowing policy.

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improvement to be good

Children’s individual risk assessments cover a range of risks and behaviours. These include strategies for staff to use to support the children. This helps the staff develop a good understanding of risks and how to manage these effectively.

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improvement to be good

The staff help children stay safe online. Online safety is discussed in house meetings and key-work sessions. This helps children to understand appropriate online behaviour and remain safe.

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good

Leaders and managers have overseen some improvements since the last inspection. However, these improvements are in their infancy and need to be embedded. The changes made suggest that leaders and managers have the capacity to take the necessary action to improve the quality of care provided.

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good

Staff receive monthly supervisions which support their work with the children. However, safeguarding is not explicitly discussed as part of these meetings. This is a missed opportunity to improve staff’s practice and reflect on incidents. This fails to ensure that staff fully understand the safeguarding culture.

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good

Staff attend regular staff meetings and discuss some aspects of their practice. However, there are no discussions regarding safeguarding or current concerns. This does not offer the staff the opportunity to discuss strategies to safeguard children.

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good

The monitoring by leaders and managers has improved. The manager reviews day- to-day records and identifies actions for staff to follow. The manager undertakes monthly checks to ensure that practice and records are of a sufficient quality.

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good

Staff recruitment records have improved. New staff do not commence working at the home until all checks have been received and verified.

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good

Senior managers have reviewed and updated the referral process for children moving into the home. Newly devised impact-risk assessments will support the manager in making decisions regarding new admissions. Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(iii)(v)) 15 May 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that supervision of staff practice engages all adults at the home in the safeguarding culture of the home, so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  The registered person should ensure that the location review includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 6 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: 2672782 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 117 Kingfisher Close, Shoeburyness, Southend-on- Sea SS3 9YB

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2672782 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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