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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 1 Registered provider: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough 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

A local authority runs this home. It is registered to provide care for children with sensory needs and 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. A new manager started in post on 9 December 2024, and the manager and responsible individual led the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There are 21 children currently accessing this home for care and support. Two children were observed and spoken to during the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the home’s full inspection in October 2024, the home was judged inadequate. Two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 2 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 the management of the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place at the home on 11 December 2024, and a case review following this confirmed that both compliance notices had been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 3

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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: 2701417 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The new manager prioritises supporting staff to capture the views of children and helping them to express themselves. New communication tools for children are easy to access throughout the home. Children use them daily to communicate their needs and share their feelings with staff. Folders of food choices and activities are also easy for children to access, and children use these to make choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences and progress are positively captured through ‘I can’ photos, which are a positive reminder to children of their abilities. They are also a reminder to staff of the level of support that children need. Staff responses to children are captured pictorially through the home’s ‘you said, we did’ booklets, which capture the child’s request and photos of them doing what they asked. This varied from soft-play visits to purchasing new toys.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families and children value the support they receive from the manager and staff, including the improved communication they have recently experienced. This involved the manager consulting families about their preferred communication methods after children’s stays. Parents have contributed to improving this process. Parents have fed back that their children enjoy their short breaks. A parent said, ‘My child picks up their overnight bag at home each day asking when they are having an overnight stay.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright, warm and homely. It has ample play equipment, books and toys for the children. Children engage positively with the motivated and organised staff, who respond sensitively to their needs. Staff understand the children’s likes and dislikes and daily routines. Children reach out to staff for help and reassurance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Bedroom door alarms are used routinely in the home. These do not disturb the children as they alert staff via a wrist pendant. However, there is not a clear assessment of why these are needed for each child, and there is no consent recorded to use them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s guide has not been reviewed to reflect the change of manager. It is accessible and shared with children but does not give children sufficient information about their stays.

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

Staff have an improved understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities, and their skills have developed through recent training. Staff spoke positively about the training and how it has helped them in their role. This improved understanding of risks helps children to become increasingly safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 5 Children’s plans have been reviewed through a multi-agency approach. Risk assessments are also in the process of being updated. Risks for children and their changing needs are discussed regularly with the relevant professionals. Staff are also checking in with the family before each visit to see if there are any changes. These changes are then reflected in children’s records and communicated to staff.

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

The manager has recruited permanent staff to work in the home. This has reduced the need for temporary staff working in the home. Appropriate recruitment checks have been conducted on new staff to reduce risks to children and ensure everyone is suitable to work with vulnerable children. New staff are currently working through their induction and training, which includes shadowing experienced staff. Until all the new staff are trained, there is a gradual build-up of children’s packages as staff become trained and confident in their roles.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Staffing levels, supervision and support are now specific and align to the needs of each child.

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

There have been no recent medication errors. However, for one child, there is no clear medical direction on their file relating to a method of administration used during overnight stays. While staff may be aware of this process, there are now new staff who would benefit from clarity and to avoid any errors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager has a plan for the home. This is openly communicated and understood by the deputy manager and the staff team. The manager has been in post for a short period of time and is working through the priorities effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale has improved, and staff feel positive about their work and the influence and support of the new manager. Staff feel valued and listened to, and this is changing the culture of the home. Staff value the morning meeting with the manager that has been implemented. It is used to reflect on practice and children’s experiences. Any issues are addressed quickly. Staff who have been absent from work are offered a supportive return and given the opportunity to complete training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is making improvements quickly and is working closely with key professionals. She is building strong networks to ensure that important information is known and shared appropriately. This ensures that support for the child and their family is available from all those involved. The manager welcomes professionals to visit the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have co-ordinated a new training programme in response to learning from incidents. Staff have found this to include some of the best training they have completed. Some staff have been affected by the training, and managers have spent time supporting them with this. Additional external support has also been available for staff who require it. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 6 A quality-of-care review was not sent to the regulator in the timescales required. It did not capture the views of others about the quality of care in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 7

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b)) 25 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 25 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all medication given is administered in line with a medically approved protocol. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that a children’s guide is produced which helps children to understand day-to-day routines in the home, the care they will receive, how to make a complaint, how to speak to an advocate and how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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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: 2701417 9

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Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough 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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Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2701417 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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