Children's Home run by City of Doncaster Council in Doncaster

Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 1 Registered provider: City of Doncaster Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There are currently three children living in the home. All three were spoken to as part of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitably qualified registered manager.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Good 31/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s individual needs and circumstances are taken into consideration before they move into the home. The manager completes a thorough assessment process and adaptations to the home are made to meet each child’s need. Children already living in the home are helped to prepare for and welcome the new child. One child made another child welcome by sharing their interest in hairdressing and helping them to have a positive experience of having their hair brushed. This helps children to build positive relationships from the start.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home feels like a family home. Children have warm and interactive relationships with each other. One child helped another find ingredients to make pancakes for their breakfast and staff promoted these positive bonds by supporting this. Children say they like the other children in the home and get along with them well. Children are listened to if they have concerns. Children feel that staff address any issues quickly and they are given a response. Their relationships with staff are open and honest. Children have access to an independent advocate who visits the home and enables the children to feel listened to and their views valued.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress in the home and have returned to education, sitting exams, and where additional support such as tutoring has been needed the home has supplied this. Managers and staff work very closely with education staff and the virtual school. One child struggled to engage with education, but the manager advocated for the specialist placement to be kept open for them and worked tirelessly to try and support the child to attend. This ensures that children have the best possible opportunities available to help them learn.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have new experiences while living in the home and make progress in many areas. Children’s interests are actively supported, and their views, wishes and feelings are acted upon. For one child, this has meant being able to have more time with their family, which is important to them. Another child is making speedy progress with self-care, moving away from a restricted diet, enjoying a variety of healthy foods, and camping in the garden in preparation for their first holiday.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A social care professional said: ‘I was so worried about [child] I had sleepless nights. I cannot thank the manager and team enough for the work they have done. [child]’s a different child. I no longer have sleepless nights.’ The staff are skilled at putting structure and routine in for children and setting high expectations in a fun and caring way. Children respond well to this and feel safe.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have nurturing relationships with children, and these continue after children leave the home. They continue to support children while they move on and help them to prepare for their futures. One child had a period of disengaging, but managers and staff reviewed their practice, sought help from all professionals and pushed repeatedly to Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 4 re-engage them. Pull factors from outside the home affected this child negatively. The manager and staff worked creatively with others to find ways to break the spiral of behaviours they were seeing. The child has moved on, but the staff maintain their relationships with the child. One child who has left the home said: ‘It was a brilliant place to live, the best. It helped me turn my life around. I would love to move back.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are listened to, celebrated, and have a sense of belonging in the home.

p.4

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

The manager leads a strong safeguarding culture in the home and expects staff to provide a high standard of care. She promotes children’s well-being and does not shy away from difficult conversations with children, staff or professionals. The manager challenges other professionals if she believes that their safeguarding duties have not been fulfilled. She holds others to the exacting standards which she expects of herself and her team.

p.4

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

Recording in the home has improved and when incidents have occurred staff use of language reflects their understanding of the child’s presentation, why these behaviours are being seen, and the skills staff use to de-escalate incidents in a calm and restorative way. It is exceedingly rare that any physical intervention takes place because of this positive approach by staff and their understanding of children’s needs.

p.4

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

Risks in the local area are kept under review. The assessment which captures these risks is detailed and includes local intelligence from various sources and names of those who present a risk to children near the home. The staff work closely with the police and missing persons professionals locally to share information. The assessment is reviewed after incidents, when information is shared with the home and after key meetings. The manager engages external professionals to support the children to better understand the risks they face.

p.4

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. One child said that when one child became angry staff supported the child, but also supported those children not involved to stay safe. Staff discussed the incident with them afterwards and discussed how they felt. The child said that staff always keep them safe.

p.4

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

Staff consistently follow children’s plans. Most children do not go missing from care. However, one child did have a high number of episodes of going missing. While missing, the child was at risk of exploitation, misusing substances and becoming involved in criminal activity. The manager has been persistent and raised concerns with all key professionals, maintaining a sense of urgency as information emerged. Information- sharing between professionals took place daily. Any missing incidents are followed up by the offer of an independent return home interview, and direct work with children from staff and external agencies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is tenacious, persistent and child-focused. She is ambitious for children to have the best opportunities in life. The manager is respected by her team, children and professionals. The deputy manager complements her with their strengths and together they are a formidable team. Professionals say that managers from the home remind them of their responsibilities in a timely manner. They view this as a positive challenge which is made in a professional manner. Professionals work closely together to improve outcomes for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers recognise the strengths and areas for development in the home and have developed new oversight tools in the past year. They have improved oversight of incidents, use of consequences and children’s records and plans. All incidents are kept under review and reflective learning is shared with the team and professionals involved. Managers regularly seek feedback from professionals to help them develop further. Managers are also open and communicate with Ofsted as the regulator. This reflects a culture of continuous improvement in the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are supported through high-quality, regular supervision, structured handovers and post-incident debriefs. Team meetings are practical, and workshops help staff to use training and research to develop their skills and knowledge. Staff receive high-quality training which they implement in their practice effectively. Staff training is well planned, and staff value the training they receive. Staff feel supported by managers and several experienced staff described them as the best they have ever worked with. Staff report that they are actively encouraged to try new things by the managers.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff demonstrate their use of research in practice. Records of direct discussions with children have been developed and reflect current child development theory. These are adapted to show individualised care and support around children’s needs. Managers have audited safer recruitment in the home and ensure that historical records meet regulations. Safer recruitment practice has been developed and the language of records and reports shows that staff understand and implement their training.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff understand children’s progress and support staff to set appropriate goals for each of them. Children make astounding progress, and are offered exciting experiences to enhance their lives, learning and independence. When one child stopped making progress and withdrew from support offered, the manager pulled a team of professionals around them and worked tirelessly to try to change the direction in which they were heading. Professionals say they could not identify anything more that the manager and team could have done to support them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers involve children in discussions about their futures and decision-making. They encourage children to share their views while advocating for them too. One child said that they are able to express their views to other professionals and follow their dreams, knowing that they would be supported. The manager has not always had appropriate Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 6 challenges from the independent visitor regarding safeguarding practice when one child was struggling, as required of the role of the independent visitor. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 7

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should make sure that the independent visitor conducts a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, taking into account emerging risks and speaking with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, paragraph 15.5, page 65)

p.7

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: 2701843 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered Provider: City of Doncaster Council

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catherine Richardson

p.8

Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 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.

p.8

Inspector

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.

p.9

Inspector

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9