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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 1 SC057703 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 owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2019.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Good 27/07/2022 Full Good 08/12/2021 Full Good 26/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in this home. The views and wishes of children are actively sought and promoted. Children feel listened to and are supported to make their own choices and decisions. Children review and discuss their progress and have input into their own care plans, being active partners in their care. Both children were spoken with during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to building trusted relationships with children. New children settle quickly into the home. Staff make sure children have everything they need to help them develop a sense of safety and belonging. This creates stability and security for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a wide range of activities, including caravan holidays, baking, trips to theme parks and drama clubs. Children said that staff are ‘good fun, someone you can laugh with’. Staff also work closely with the children’s families and support regular family time for children. Significant people in the children’s lives said they receive weekly updates about their child’s progress. They describe staff as professional and are confident that staff respond to the needs of their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all areas of their development. Children appreciate the support and advocacy they receive from staff. Staff put incentives in place to encourage children’s attendance and engagement in school. Staff work alongside schools to share good practice and strategies that work for children. Encouragement and support from staff help children to develop the ability to manage their own emotional and mental health. One child said, ‘It feels good to live here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s transitions are well managed, whether that is their move into or out of the home. The welfare and well-being of the children are paramount. The children said they received welcoming support that put them at ease when they moved into the home. One child who moved on to their own home said, ‘I had good support when moving, a lot of support. They (the staff) are nice people; they cared about what happened to me.’

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

Staff have regular access to a therapist who attends team meetings and has input into the children’s care plans and risk assessments. Staff are guided by these assessments, which are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date, detailed and trauma informed. When new risks are identified, staff act swiftly to keep children safe. Staff understand how children’s past experiences may affect the child’s development, health and behaviour.

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

Children understand the boundaries and expectations of the home and respond well to them. Children said they feel safe in the home and describe ‘a nice atmosphere’. Children display secure interactions with staff, and these are also fun and light-hearted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 4 There are plans in place to reduce harm, including when children go missing from home. Missing-from-home plans are clear and detailed. They direct staff to the right course of action. Staff are able to discuss the support children need and are confident they can keep children safe. Staff look for children when they are missing from home. They make every effort to ensure children return home safely.

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

Physical intervention records are clear. There is oversight from the registered manager and the physical intervention trainer. Staff are skilled in de-escalating stressful situations for children, and there is evidence of the appropriate steps taken to avoid the use of physical intervention techniques. When legal restrictions are in place to keep children safe, these are clear, understood and well-managed by the team.

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

Staff promote close working relationships and communication with professionals. This helps to keep children safe and protected from harm. Professional feedback is positive. They said staff are good communicators who are knowledgeable and have a good understanding of the children.

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

Staff are aware of the risks to children. They hold regular focus-work and key-work sessions with children. These include topics such as e-safety, healthy relationships and safety in the community. This supports children to take age-appropriate risks and have the same opportunities as their peers.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. Their right to complain is respected and supported. However, on one occasion, the action taken in response to a child’s complaint was not documented in line with the provider’s own policy. This does not help children to feel valued.

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

The local area risk assessment is updated regularly. However, it does not reflect some of the known risks in the local area. In addition, it does not contain feedback from consultations with other relevant people. This does not help staff keep children safe from external influences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious for the children in his care. He ensures the right people are involved in their support. He is a strong advocate for children to receive the help and services they are entitled to. Alongside the staff, he continues to advocate for and support children after they leave the home. Children benefit from the actions taken by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager creates a culture of positivity and warmth in the home. The home is well decorated, comfortable and welcoming. One child said, ‘It is a warm place, and we all get along and the staff are kind.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 5 Staff meetings are held regularly. Research-informed practice enhances the knowledge and skills of staff. There is regular input from external professionals. Staff-led workshops enhance staff’s learning, and they have access to leaflets and handbooks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and his team have developed supportive working relationships with partner agencies. These relationships enhance opportunities and experiences for children and ensure that they receive good-quality care. The manager and the staff actively look for resources in the community that help children to develop skills and abilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The right support is in place to enable staff development. This is underpinned by regular and effective supervision sessions. Additionally, staff also participate in peer support sessions. These supervisions give staff the opportunity to talk and reflect on all aspects of their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their roles, and feedback about the manager was overwhelmingly positive. The manager creates the right environment for good practice to develop and flourish. Children benefit from nurturing and consistent care that is modelled by the manager, who has high expectations of the staff team. Staff love working in the home and are dedicated and motivated to provide a family home where children thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has oversight of the home. He completes regular audits that are fed back to the senior management team to ensure quality is maintained. The home’s development plan is clear and organised. It recognises the continual changes needed in the home to meet the children’s needs. There are monthly visits to the home by an independent person; the manager reviews and responds to the findings from their reports.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have the right attitude, skills and abilities to meet the needs of the children and keep them safe. The manager has oversight of the staff training, and additional training is in place for staff that is tailored to the needs of the children. This is regularly reviewed and discussed with staff. However, some members of staff have not completed the diploma qualification required for staff who work in a care role. The manager has a plan in place for staff to complete this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 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, The 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 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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when a complaint is made, there is a record of the action taken in response to the complaint and the outcome of any investigation;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the annual review of the premises is undertaken in consultation with each relevant person and that all known risks are reflected in the assessment; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the appropriate qualifications for the work the individual is to perform and that these are completed in the necessary timescales. 30 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 7

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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: SC057703 8

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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

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC057703 9 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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