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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 1 City of Doncaster Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for children with sensory needs, physical and/or learning disabilities. The service offers short breaks for up to four children per night. This includes a combination of overnight care, tea visits and daycare during school holidays.

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Information about this children’s home

The service registered with Ofsted on 1 September 2022. The service has two registered managers. The deputy manager and responsible individual led the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There are no children currently accessing this home for care and support. The provider has temporarily paused the service to children.

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This monitoring visit

No children were seen by inspectors during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Following the home’s full inspection in October 2024, the home was judged inadequate. Two compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). This was because of concerns relating to the safety and protection of children and to the management of the home. The purpose of this visit was to review the progress and actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented a detailed plan to improve systems which support children in the home. This has started to influence changes in the way that professionals work together to share information and understand the risks for Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 2 children in the home. The plan is not yet fully completed. Therefore, some elements cannot yet be measured.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have provided training to all staff around safeguarding and the specific needs of some children. Further sessions are planned for staff who were absent and new starters in the future. Staff speak positively about the training, but it is unclear yet how it will translate in practice as the home is temporarily closed.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has been appointed to oversee the home and contributed to the inspection. It became evident during the inspection that not all required checks have been carried out in the recruitment of the manager in accordance with the regulations.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing levels have still been affected by staff absences in the home, which has limited the service. Staffing levels are safe when children are using the service, but the overnight offer to children is reduced. There are plans to increase staffing over the coming weeks. At present, there are not enough staff to provide full support.

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This monitoring visit

Staff morale is beginning to improve, and a core team of consistent staff have worked hard to provide overnight care to children. Before the pause in service, staff reported feeling vulnerable. One member of staff described that they were ‘limping on’.

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This monitoring visit

Staff feel more supported by leaders and managers. Managers hold regular team meetings, but attendance at these meetings has been low. This reflects staff absences and ensuring that those working have time off. Not all staff have had the time to meet individually with managers.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of records has improved, and staff update them after incidents. This helps other staff to remain up to date.

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This monitoring visit

Shift planning has become more embedded, but records focus heavily on practical tasks and lack detail about children’s routines, the plans for the day and children’s specific needs.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have improved their oversight of practice and staff working together when incidents occur. Leaders and managers have overseen recent incidents and given staff clear instructions on actions required to keep children safe. The incidents were managed appropriately. However, during one incident, a child hurt themselves, but medical attention was not sought before they went home.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, the compliance notices previously issued were determined to have been partially met. Requirements in relation to regulations 12 and 13 have been restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 3 Inspectors also raised a requirement under regulation 28 during this visit. This is in relation to the recruitment practices for the manager. The requirements previously issued under regulations 14, 23 and 40 were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated along with the two previous recommendations. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2024 Full Inadequate 08/08/2023 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 22 January 2025

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 22 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 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)(b)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children;

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Requirement Due date

the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home and;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 22 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 22 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 7 manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the admissions process is clear and identifies multi-agency working to share knowledge of children’s needs and risks they face. It should also consider the impact of risks children may pose to other children.

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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, care should be taken so that medication is sent home safely for the correct child. Additionally, managers’ oversight of any incident should clearly identify what happened and if appropriate actions were taken to safeguard the child.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 22 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 22 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 8 (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, reports should be sent in a timely manner and be accurate.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose details the home’s staffing structure and how children’s communication and individual health needs, previous experiences and plans are met. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should ensure that the independent visitor makes an impartial and rigorous assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The report should evidence consultation, follow up of previous recommendations and triangulation of evidence seen. Leaders and managers should also ensure that they oversee the reports within timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: City of Doncaster Council

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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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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Rebecca Rowe and Jane Thompson

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Inspectors

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2701417 10 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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