Three Gables

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 1 SC065553 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2012 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 12 January 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted judged the home inadequate at the full inspection on 12 and 13 January 2023 and identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and in relation to leadership and management and oversight of children’s safety and welfare. As a result, Ofsted issued compliance notices under regulation 6 (the quality and purpose of care standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 14 February 2023 to consider the progress made against the compliance notices. At the visit, Ofsted was satisfied that the compliance notices had been met. However, some improvements were not yet well embedded, and some shortfalls remained. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/01/2023 Full Inadequate 25/01/2022 Full Good 01/10/2019 Full Outstanding 13/09/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a large and comfortable home. They have chosen the colour schemes and furnishings for various rooms in the home. The children have large bedrooms that they have personalised according to their current interests and hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet the children’s health needs well. Staff make medical appointments if needed and support the children to attend. If children are reluctant to attend appointments, staff explore the reasons why. Staff resolve any barriers or worries children may have and provide them with reassurance, encouragement and support. The children have a varied and healthy diet and are involved in menu choices. As a result, children remain healthy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff appreciate the significance for children in maintaining contact with their family or important people in their lives. Children are supported and transported to enable them to spend time with the people who matter to them. This maintains the children’s sense of identity and enables important relationships to continue.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children engage in individual sessions with staff. These sessions focus on current issues that may be affecting them. Staff remain focused on the child in their approach, and they tailor the sessions according to the children’s needs. The recording of these sessions has improved over the past few months. Children are benefiting from more one-to-one discussions and being able to explore any worries or concerns they may have. Children trust staff and confide in them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff encourage the children to carry out age-appropriate daily chores, such as shopping, washing and keeping the home tidy. Staff show the children what is needed and then work alongside them. This enables the children to learn key independent living skills. These skills will equip them with essential knowledge for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children regularly access some form of education. However, educational timetables are, at times, limited. When this happens, the children do not always have a clear structure to their day. Greater structure to the children’s day would allow the children to participate in meaningful activities that will enhance their overall education and support their progression.

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

The staff know the children well. They are aware of children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Relevant risk assessments are in place and are updated when required by the manager. The staff read any relevant updates and are equipped with the most up-to-date knowledge about children’s risks and how to respond. This ensures that staff know the best way to help children and keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 4 Children continue to go missing from care. However, when this happens, staff are proactive in trying to locate the child. They work in collaboration with external agencies to ensure that the child returns to their care as quickly as possible. Missing-from-care interviews are carried out. Having a multi-agency approach to missing-from-care episodes provides effective coordination of the incident and expedites the safe return of the child to their home.

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

The staff are observant and vigilant. They are curious when they see a change in a child’s behaviour. Staff explore their concerns with the child and discuss their observations. Staff take appropriate action if needed. Where concerns continue, staff work with external agencies to resolve them and ensure that children remain safe.

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

When children behave poorly, the staff have restorative discussions with them. These are purposeful and explore worries the child may have or underlying triggers to poor behaviour. This approach helps the staff to respond to children appropriately during times of conflict. This promotes positive relationships, and children benefit from a calm environment and become aware of the impact of their behaviour on others.

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good

Leaders’ response to the inadequate judgement in January 2023 has been positive. They have reflected on the shortfalls and formulated an action plan to address the issues. The action plan has been progressed, and improvements have been made. The leadership team remains focused on the implementation of the plan and ensures that all issues raised are suitably dealt with. This has led to very quick improvements across all areas.

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good

Children’s records now reflect the extra work that staff are carrying out with the children. These records have greater detail and clarity and are reviewed by managers.

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good

The staff are positive about the support they receive. They feel in a much stronger position and believe that they have made a great deal of progress and are now on an improvement trajectory. Staff receive regular professional supervision. Team meetings and reflective practice sessions take place on a regular basis. Staff would benefit from having their appraisals carried out in a timely manner so that they continue their development. All the systems in place for staff contribute to them feeling supported in their role alongside developing their knowledge and skills. The staff feel valued and supported, which impacts positively on their morale and work commitment.

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good

The leadership team has good oversight of the work carried out in the home. When necessary, they recommend further actions with the focus on providing good care to the children. To support leaders’ oversight, a stronger system would help to give them assurance that required action has been taken. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the home having plans regarding the child’s education and structuring days for children not in school so that they continue to learn. There must be evidence of what is being done to promote this for the children in the home. 21 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 6 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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place, used regularly and recorded. 21 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that supervision of staff takes place in line with the home’s policy and that appraisals are carried out in a timely manner. 23 August 2023

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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: SC065553 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Lizette Watts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065553 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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