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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 1 Registered provider: City of Doncaster Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by Doncaster Council and provides care for up to three children with a learning disability. There are two children currently living in the home. Inspectors spoke to and observed both children during the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in the time they have lived in the home. They have warm relationships with staff and appear settled. The home is modern, clean, and well- equipped for the children. Sensory items and play equipment can be found throughout the home and gardens. Staff display photos around the home of the children having fun. Children have personal photos in their bedrooms. This creates a welcoming and homely environment for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to get to know the children and to make their home accessible. Children are supported to take part in activities in the home and garden and the local area. A garden room is being transformed into an additional sensory space for the children. This gives children space, choice and an opportunity to express themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff gather detailed information before children move to the service and visits take place so that staff and children develop trusting relationships. Where possible, the wishes and views of children about the move are captured. Children’s requests are usually listened to and responded to. One request from a child requesting music in their bedroom has not yet been fulfilled, but managers are addressing this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers understand the importance of education for the children. Both children attend full time, and are settled in their school. One child waited for a place at school while building works were completed. The manager worked closely with the school and virtual school to provide a place for the child. Staff advocated for the child during this time and kept the temporary arrangement under review. The child is making progress at school and is now learning and making friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have replicated school communication aids to offer children the opportunity to express their feelings and request things. Staff want to listen to children and observe behaviour and respond to this, changing the environment for one child as it was overstimulating for them. Communication aids are in children’s files, but are not yet in the most suitable format for each child to understand. This delays opportunities for children to be heard and make informed choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise when a child communicates that something is not right for them. This is sometimes through body language and behaviour. For one child, sensory lights were overstimulating and these were removed. Children express their complaints in a variety of ways, but this is not captured in documents shared with children’s families and professionals. The documents do not capture cultural diversity.

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

Plans around restrictive practices for children are detailed, child-centred and incorporate the health needs of each child, giving clear guidance to staff. Staff do not physically Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 3 intervene with children. Instead, they use their skills to support children to feel safe and reassured when they become distressed. Staff help children to express difficult emotions and feel safe.

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

One child initially was involved in a number of incidents, but these now happen less often. Staff better understand the child’s needs and have learned from incidents. One child who was subject to a legal order left the home when the front door was not secured. They were returned safely within minutes. Managers reviewed this incident and staff were reminded of their responsibilities to maintain a safe environment. The incident has not been repeated.

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

The manager follows safer recruitment processes. Thorough checks are made before staff begin employment. Staff are regularly supervised and have training in safeguarding. The manager takes appropriate actions to safeguard children and shares information with safeguarding professionals. This reduces the risk of children being supported by staff who may pose a risk to children.

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

Children’s files are organised and accessible and there are easy-read documents with symbols in them. Staff can easily access information about the children and documents are regularly updated. This helps staff to stay up to date with children’s needs. The child’s plans have been updated after the incident when the child went missing from the home. The assessment of the local area has not been reviewed since then. This does not reflect where the child might go if they went missing from the home again and the risks to them in the local area.

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

Risk assessments give good guidance to staff about how to prepare and carry out activities, but do not reflect how to communicate and involve children in decision-making during this. Staff communicate with children during these incidents, but this practice is not shared in risk assessments to ensure that staff respond consistently to children.

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

There have been medication recording errors in the home and one child was given too much medication. Staff did not seek medical advice at the time. Two medications are given in an altered format, but there is no guidance from a pharmacist regarding the safety of this. Staff are relying on past practice and their knowledge where a medical professional’s instruction is required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers recognise some of the strengths and weaknesses of the service but have not had clear oversight of staff training, and not all documents are reviewed after incidents and changes. Reflection and debriefs do take place, but patterns and trends are not reviewed to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have not identified inaccuracies in statutory reports that are shared with the regulator. They have reviewed documents but have not challenged theses inaccuracies This presents an inaccurate portrayal of the home and does not identify learning for the Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 4 team. Managers usually report to the regulator regarding notifiable incidents and update them as necessary. Managers did not report to the regulator one incident that increased the risk of harm to a child. This prevents the regulator from having oversight of risks in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers and staff raised concerns about morale being low in the home at a recent team meeting. Meetings have not taken place regularly. Staff say that morale has improved very recently, but for a period of time staff were not able to bond together. Managers have now identified and addressed these areas, but the changes are not yet in place or embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have worked closely with the children’s school and a previous placement to understand children’s needs. A request for a specialist assessment of children’s communication needs has not taken place in a timely manner. Staff are not trained in the children’s needs around communication and their diagnoses. Even though they attempt to understand the children, staff do not always understand the behaviours they see.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers recognised individual children’s potential, even though some of this information was not shared by staff from a previous placement. Managers and staff want children to achieve and they promote their independence. Staff have adapted practice and the environment to support children to become more independent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers are respected by professionals and those involved with the children. They share information with other professionals and families regularly and communication between them is good. Professionals are welcome in the home to see children, and managers challenge and advocate if other services are not working for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph(1) requires the registered person to-

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Requirement Due date

ensures that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

demonstrates that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received, and

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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)(b) (2)(c)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that staff are trained with regard to the specific individual needs of children and that the manager oversees and evaluates incident records. 31 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are competent to administer medication and seek medical advice if there is an error. 31 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that incidents which may seriously affect the welfare of a child, such as an overdose of medication, are notified to Ofsted and other relevant parties. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose and children’s guide demonstrate how they can meet each child’s needs, including their religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic needs The documents should also reflect how staff listen to, and respond to, the complaints of children who may not use words to speak. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person provides an accurate report, evaluating the safeguarding and the welfare of the children in the home’s care. This should include consultation with children and professionals. (‘Guide

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Recommendations

to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 2771730 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catherine Richardson

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Inspectors

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Lisa Finch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 8 and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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