Children's Home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 1 SC037861

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Registered provider: Darlington Borough 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 provides care for up to three children who may experience social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2020. There is also a new manager in post who is working alongside the registered manager. This is a temporary arrangement as there are plans in place for this children’s home to move to a new location and to be managed by the new manager.

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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. The inspector has 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: SC037861 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

There are two children living in the home. One child has lived in the home for a long time and the other child has recently been admitted, having moved to England. Staff have acted quickly to ensure that this child’s cultural and dietary needs, and religious beliefs, are met on a daily basis. This gives the child a sense of stability and security.

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The care of children

Staff build positive relationships with the children in a short space of time. They ensure that children have new and fun experiences while living in the home. These include going fishing and playing golf. Staff promote group activities with the children. This helps children to develop their self-esteem and build relationships with their peers through positive social interactions.

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The care of children

Children’s health is important to staff. Children who are new to the home are quickly registered with all relevant health care services and staff support them to attend health appointments when necessary. This reinforces to the child that attending routine health appointments is important and will contribute to living a healthy lifestyle.

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The care of children

Staff prioritise children’s education. Managers attend multi-agency meetings with education services and children’s social workers to discuss how to meet children’s learning needs. Careful planning means that one child will attend a school with other children with a similar background. This will help prevent the child from feeling isolated, and enhance their social and academic achievements.

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The care of children

Children’s views and wishes are considered through discussions with staff and their social workers. Other professionals said that staff ‘advocate well’ for children during meetings. This partnership working means that when appropriate, children’s wishes are acted on. This ensures that children are involved in decisions about their care.

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The safety of children

Children’s risk assessments are up to date and detailed, and these provide staff with clear actions to follow when children are at risk of harm. Children become increasingly safe because staff are aware of the possible risks to children’s safety, and what is required of them to manage and reduce these.

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The safety of children

There is a multi-agency response when children go missing from the home. Staff are aware of the protocols in place and follow these processes. Following these incidents, children participate in ‘return home’ interviews with an independent Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 3 person. These meetings are further supported by one-to-one sessions with staff to discuss and consider possible triggers to these events. This reinforces to children that staff care about them and their welfare.

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The safety of children

Physical restraint is only used as a last resort to prevent immediate harm. However, records of these restraints do not always include if children have been offered medical assistance if they allege that they have been hurt as the result of the restraint. Furthermore, the content of staff debriefs is not fully detailed. This limits the manager’s ability to scrutinise these records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have partially met the requirements raised at the last inspection. The recommendations from that inspection have been addressed. The breaches identified at the last inspection with regard to staff recruitment have not been reviewed. This requirement is reissued and will be monitored at the next inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The service is in the process of moving to another location. Following this move, a new manager will take over the running of the home. The new manager is currently working in the home, alongside the registered manager, and has built good relationships with the children and staff. The children are fully involved in this move, and along with the staff they make regular visits to the new house to add their personal touch. This supports the children and helps to reduce any anxieties or concerns that they may have about this move.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not effectively monitor or review the quality of the records and documents that staff complete. Some notifications submitted to Ofsted are of a poor quality. They do not include an accurate or succinct account of safeguarding matters, or detail what actions staff have taken to ensure the child’s safety. This lack of insight does not provide Ofsted with necessary information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are all suitably qualified and are up to date with their mandatory training. Staff benefit from working closely with a therapeutic social worker if they need to seek advice or guidance about how to support the children. This means that children receive care that meets their needs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/09/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 20 July 2022

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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

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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)) 20 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 20 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 6 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Darlington Borough Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Bell

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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 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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