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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 1 SC062536 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

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

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who was appointed in March 2022 and registered with Ofsted in January 2023. The registered manager was absent from work at the time of the inspection.

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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: 27 September 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 2

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 3

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improvement to be good

The home has been through an unsettled period, largely due to instability in the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have mixed experiences of relationships with staff. Some children reported having positive relationships with some staff and not with others. There has been a disconnect in the staff team, which has impacted on the consistency of care that children receive. A child said, ‘Some staff let you do things, others don’t.’ For some children who experience difficulties sustaining trusted relationships, there has been some progress. One child said, ‘I do feel loved by my key worker.’

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improvement to be good

Despite some positive relationships with staff, the progress that children make is variable. Children who have lived at the home for a significant period have not been well supported to make and sustain progress. Some children have made some progress in their educational engagement, but this has been limited.

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improvement to be good

Children’s emotional health and well-being remain fragile. Some children who had reduced risks of harm have recently revisited these risks. There is evidence of an overall recent reduction in incidents and behaviours that challenge staff.

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improvement to be good

Plans in relation to children’s health needs have not been progressed in a timely manner. For example, one child has been waiting over a year for a psychological and additional needs assessment. This is a critical time to support the child’s leaving care plans. Managers had not effectively escalated this to ensure that the child receives support at a time when they need it most. This has now been actioned and a plan is in place for the child.

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improvement to be good

Children have a variety of ways to share their views, wishes and feelings. There is evidence of staff completing regular and relevant direct-work sessions with children that are positive and reflective.

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improvement to be good

Children’s achievements are being recognised and rewarded. Systems are now in place for children to feel that they are treated with positive regard. Children are encouraged to engage in a range of activities, including community events, to broaden their experiences and have fun.

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improvement to be good

Incidents have reduced for one child, demonstrating that their relationships are developing with staff and that the child’s needs are being better understood. However, incidents have, at times, placed children at risk and staff have been unable Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 4 to prevent harm to children. Despite managers escalating their concerns about children’s safety to senior managers, the response has not always been effective.

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improvement to be good

One child’s bedroom was found to be in an unsatisfactory and unsafe state. There was a hole in the wall and mouldy contents left in cups. Staff rectified this the following day to ensure that the bedroom was safe and suitable.

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improvement to be good

The building presents as slightly institutionalised in places. A child said, ‘It just doesn’t feel safe here. The building has a bad vibe.’ Staff have started to try and make the home warm and welcoming. Children have been involved in redecorating their rooms and have a choice about what they would like. Senior leaders have committed to a review of the environment.

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improvement to be good

A child left the home to return home to their family following an incident where she did not feel safe. This was deemed as positive for the child at that time. However, this was not an assessed plan. It was more of a reaction to a crisis at the home at that time. Children are not always supported to maintain positive family time when it is assessed as safe and appropriate to do so.

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improvement to be good

Recently, there has been an improved coordinated response when safeguarding incidents have taken place. Managers have been clear about safeguarding processes and ensured that children’s safe care plans are effective, reviewed and appropriate.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing, staff are clear about what processes to follow to ensure their safety and prompt return to the home. There has not always been return interviews completed with children. Therefore, an independent review of why children went missing from care has not informed children’s safe care plans.

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improvement to be good

Children’s online safety risks are not clearly known and managed. There have been no recent incidents of concern that place children at risk. However, children who have historical known risks around online safety do not have clear and safe plans in place.

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good

The home has been without a registered manager recently and there has been a lack of strong leadership and management. Senior leaders have identified this and put in place an immediate and longer-term support plan to try and stabilise the service. Prior to this plan, staff experienced instability and a lack of guidance from managers. More recently, reflective practice sessions evidence a change in staff, who are more open and transparent around issues relating to their practice. This has coincided with recent reductions in incidents for children, and staff and children’s relationships improving.

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good

The staff team had lost trust and confidence in leadership at the home recently. The organisation has started to address shortfalls in leadership and management. They have produced an action plan that identifies how the shortfalls are going to be Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 5 rectified and how the service will continue to be supported on an improvement journey. The plans include the temporary secondment of an experienced registered manager.

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good

The deputy managers have not been in post long but have made some improvements in some areas of the leadership and management systems. They have addressed shortfalls in a timely manner and been proactive in making some changes. Staff said that the deputy managers are hands on, supportive and approachable.

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good

There are a sufficient staff who are experienced. They present as being compassionate and want the best for children in their care. The staff team has lacked leadership and direction. The team has felt ineffective, and moral has been low. Staff’s ability to manage challenging situations has been impeded by a lack of clear direction, communication, and teamwork. However, staff now feel more confident and supported by assurances from senior leaders.

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good

Staff receive regular training and supervision meetings with their manager. They are well supported by deputy managers. Staff are supported to reflect on their practice and how to improve children’s life experiences in their care.

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good

Leaders have not completed their own review of the service in line with the regulations that state that this should be completed every six months. This was raised at the last inspection and remains outstanding. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when children are at significant risk, escalation processes are timely. This relates to online safety, managing the dynamics between children, and making sure that when children have been missing from care they receive a local authority return interview. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 28 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 7 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff consistently providing a safe, nurturing, and homely environment for children in their care. This is escalated from a recommendation from the last inspection.

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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

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

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(x)) 28 July 2023

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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; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)) 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 8 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff managing and responding to individual risks and safe care plans with a view to reducing risks. 30 June 2023

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)).

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Requirement Due date

This relates to leaders and managers of the home ensuring that children receive continuity of care, and that managers implement effective monitoring of the quality of care provided and take positive action when this is compromised. 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 9 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; 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 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

This is a repeat requirement. 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 10

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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: SC062536 11

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062536 12 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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