Children's home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 1 SC006294 Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in May 1998. The manager has been registered since June 2009.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 2 November 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/11/2022 Full Good 21/02/2022 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Good 19/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well when they move into this home, even if they move in at short notice. Children’s plans are individualised and consider their important relationships and how staff can support them to maintain these, even when they are living a considerable distance away.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress while they live at the home. They experience stability and commitment from staff. This allows children to build positive relationships with the staff and set roots in the home. Staff know the children well and understand how to get the best out of them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in education from their individual starting points. One child engaged in their exams and has been supported to access the college course of their choice. Another child, who has been out of education, has been supported to enrol in a local school but has struggled to attend. A home tutor has been supporting the child while a suitable transition back into education can be agreed. Alternative short courses that can be accessed online have been put in place for over the summer.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and well-being are supported by the staff. Staff ensure that appropriate specialist support is available when this is required. Staff advocate for children to ensure that specialist support is timely and focused on their needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have meaningful and focused conversations with children. The topics they cover include important life skills but are generally targeted on the individual needs of the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large, spacious and homely. The kitchen has been refurbished and the decor has been updated. Photos of the children who live in the home are on display and provide snapshots of children’s experiences and achievements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff capture children’s experiences in individual journals, which are written with care. These contain photos and sentimental items. They detail children’s achievements and anecdotes, including some of the trickier elements of their lives. Children take their journals with them when they move on. This enables children to have a holistic account of their life and experiences while at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move out of the home, they are supported by staff who advocate for them and promote positive endings. Staff take children to visit where they are moving to, and they support them when they move and afterwards. This shows children and young people that they are valued and teaches them to maintain positive relationships, even in challenging circumstances. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 4

p.3

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

Risk assessments are clear, purposeful, individualised and kept up to date. When risks are no longer present, risk assessments are archived. This helps staff to remain focused on current risks and the actions they must take to keep children safe.

p.4

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

Staff are skilled at building positive relationships with the children. They use their good relationships, de-escalation techniques and co-regulation skills to support children when they experience strong emotions. This means that children feel heard and valued and have not needed to be held. Staff work hard to understand the driving factors behind children’s behaviour and spend time with children once they are calm to reflect on incidents.

p.4

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

When children go missing, staff respond swiftly in line with children’s plans. Staff follow children and make every effort to locate them and encourage them to return home. Staff contact the police when it is appropriate. Concerns about the safety of children who go missing are addressed through appropriate multi-agency plans.

p.4

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

Allegations about staff are responded to quickly. Children’s safety is prioritised while investigations take place. Children are treated fairly, and their emotional well-being is considered during investigations. This supports children to feel able to share concerns and know that they will be treated with dignity and respect.

p.4

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns. Staff feel confident in raising concerns and understand whistle-blowing procedures.

p.4

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

The manager has not informed Ofsted about a notifiable event. This involved the start and conclusion of a child protection enquiry. This prevents Ofsted having oversight of safeguarding concerns, the actions from the home and partner agencies.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She knows the children who live in the home well and understands how their journeys may have led them to have specific needs. She encourages staff to be curious about the driving factors behind children’s behaviours and promotes a home environment where children make positive relationships.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision. This considers their needs in terms of their learning and development as well as the progress children are making.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and prioritised by the team. They offer staff opportunities to reflect and to learn from colleagues and the manager. The regularity and training element of the meetings drives a learning culture in the home and ensures that staff feel skilled and supported to meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 5 The manager has a good understanding of the wider network of agencies involved with children and is proactive at seeking out support and services. She builds effective working relationships with these agencies, such as virtual schools and social workers, which supports positive progress of the plans for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff have not completed their requisite level 3 qualification within the time frame specified in the children’s homes regulations. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.6

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)) 13 July 2023

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, attain the relevant qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant time frame. The registered person may extend the time frame if the member of staff has not worked in the role for a prolonged period, such as sick leave or maternity leave, or if it is not reasonable to expect the member of staff to complete the qualification in this time frame due to the nature of the hours they work. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

p.6

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 Home’s Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 4AD

p.7

Inspectors

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Honor Hamshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC006294 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8