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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 1 SC018241 Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2018. She holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2023 Full Outstanding 09/02/2022 Full Outstanding 21/01/2020 Full Outstanding 07/08/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 3

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outstanding

Child-centred and committed staff want the very best for the children. They provide exceptional care, so children make remarkable progress from their starting points. Children benefit from being cared for with absolute positive regard, which makes them feel treasured and valued.

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outstanding

The established positive culture in the home ensures that staff provide a consistent, warm and nurturing environment for children. Children enjoy spending time with staff and each other. There is a calm atmosphere and daily laughter. This creates an environment where children feel safe and secure, which helps them to thrive.

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outstanding

Children’s daily experiences are positive as they benefit enormously from the excellent care and support they receive from staff. Children can now better manage their emotions and have built positive and trusting relationships with adults. Children have developed their independence skills for later life and their self-confidence has increased. They have also built on the positive and sustained relationships they have with their family members.

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outstanding

Children make great steps forward with their education attendance and attainment, which includes achieving their qualifications or being on track to achieve them.

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outstanding

Children’s health and well-being are given importance. Children benefit from regular check-ups and have access to specialist services. This includes support from professionals with their emotional well-being. Managers and staff go the extra mile to support the children to attend counselling sessions. This assists immensely to improve children’s immediate and long-term health.

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outstanding

Children’s daily lives are enriched because of the positive social and leisure activities organised by staff. Children speak warmly about the activities and trips that they routinely take part in. Children have enjoyed holidays, visiting parks and theme parks, going swimming, playing board games, pamper nights and spending time with friends. During the inspection, children were painting and taking part in a music quiz. These types of experiences have built children’s confidence and social skills and have provided them with new and positive experiences.

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outstanding

Staff recognise the importance of childhood memories. Each child has a memory journal and is helped to collect memories of trips and activities they have taken part in. These books contain a collection of many happy childhood memories.

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outstanding

Children play a highly active role in making decisions about things that are important to them, such as activities they want to do and meals they would like to eat. Changes have been made on children’s request, for example regarding the support Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 4 they receive at school and when they see their family. Staff have accessed an advocate to support one child’s wish to remain living at the home.

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outstanding

Developing independence skills starts early, with children given age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities around the home. This provides children with useful skills, such as being able to keep their bedrooms tidy, budgeting, cooking and baking and travelling independently. This improves their independence and gives them a sense of responsibility. Children become confident and helped to prepare appropriately for adulthood.

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outstanding

Children enjoy, and have great support, to see their families. This provides children with important connections with those who are important to them. In addition, this maintains essential support networks for the children now and for the future.

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outstanding

Children live in a positive domestic and homely house. It is decorated and furnished to a very good standard. Recently, the hallway and bathroom have been decorated. There is an array of board games and books that children use. There are lots of photos, ornaments, plants as well as fresh flowers. This helps to make this house a family home.

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outstanding

Children benefit immensely from an open and honest safeguarding culture created by the manager and staff. All areas of concern around potential identified risks are discussed with children during everyday discussions, individual key-work sessions or children’s meetings.

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outstanding

Staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously and do their best to enable children to become safer. They are creative in their efforts to engage children so that they better understand the wider risks and the world around them. For example, staff play interactive games, such as games aimed at teaching children about internet safety and the dangers of catfishing. These have been instrumental in aiding with children’s progress.

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outstanding

The manager and staff are perceptive to each child’s vulnerabilities and potential risks. These are recorded in their individual risk assessments. Due to the actions of the staff, there have been no significant incidents, and children do not go missing from the home.

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outstanding

Children engage well in discussions and learning around a variety of themed topics, such as online safety, personal safety, child sexual exploitation and positive relationships. The information provided to children helps them to make well- informed choices about how to keep themselves safe. Risks for children have reduced as a result of living in the home.

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outstanding

Children benefit enormously from staff who keep them safe. Children respond well to the provider’s chosen model of care practice and to staff’s calm approach when Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 5 they become upset. Consequently, there have been no incidents where children have needed to be held to keep them and others safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a highly motivated and effective manager and senior team who disseminate their high aspirations for children to all staff. Care practice is consistent and is individualised for each child. This enables children to make measurable progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works hard to ensure that children achieve the best possible outcomes that will prepare and support them for success into adulthood. Staff work spontaneously with children, drawing on their talents, skills and attributes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and senior team have a wealth of experience, knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs, which staff benefit enormously from. Regular team meetings, daily handovers and ongoing discussions ensure that staff are kept fully up to date with children’s emerging needs. The manager encourages and expands staff’s learning through child-based theories that she has identified through her research and the therapist’s input. The continued focus to improve the care practice for children contributes to their constant progress and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children receive the care and support that they require as their needs are at the forefront of the manager’s and staff’s practice. When children’s best interests are not being addressed, or children’s wishes are not listened to, the manager and staff are confident in challenging partner agencies and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say that they receive excellent support, guidance and training from the manager, who they speak highly of. The strong management style has been used with great effect to develop a new staff team. Staff deliver consistent care in a happy environment where children live and thrive. Staff say that the home is a really happy place to work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The recommendation made at the last inspection has been implemented, and staff training and records are now kept up to date. Staff complete all the provider’s mandatory training, which includes specialist training to meet children’s individual needs. Training in autism, county lines and self-harm equips staff with the knowledge they need to meet the children’s needs well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals say that there is excellent collaborative working and information- sharing, which ensures that everyone supports the children consistently. A professional said, ‘The staff are impeccable corporate parents for the children. They are always there to support [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is importance given to monitoring the service. The manager and provider have established thorough internal and external systems. This ensures that the quality of care provided to children remains high. Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 6

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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: SC018241 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 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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