Children's home run by D & J Care Services-Residential Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 1 Registered provider: D & J Care Services-Residential Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to three children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this 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 Outstanding

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Good

Date of last inspection: 26 October 2023

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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: 2557141 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2023 Full Good 28/03/2023 Full Good 10/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Children have made good progress from their individual starting points since living in the home. Children’s health, education, confidence and independence have improved. Children are more able to engage in education and actively participate in activities in the home and in their community. Skilled staff collaborate with professionals to ensure that children can achieve and make progress. A social worker told the inspector ‘I am very happy with the care that they are receiving at the care home. Their progress in the last year has been amazing’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Children have been supported to develop and sustain trusting relationships by skilled, nurturing, consistent, caring staff who have a range of experience and skills. Children have comprehensive care plans that fully reflects their voice, their needs and their intended outcomes. Children influence their plans through staff observing their body language and through children using their pictorial communication books.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Children are supported by having clear, consistent, and appropriate boundaries and routines that are relevant to their individual needs. Children have been helped to reduce behaviour that challenges through receiving consistent, nurturing and reliable care. Children are in good physical health and are supported to access the optician, dentist and GP when required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Children have been helped to make good progress in accessing and taking part in social and recreational activities that reflect their individual interests. These include, for example, swimming, trampolining and using public transport. Children have become much more confident and enjoy being part of their community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Children use their pictorial communication books to tell staff how they are feeling in weekly house meetings. Children also use their communication books to indicate their preferred social activities and menu choices. This is helping children to develop their independence in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Family time is supported by staff so children can enjoy time with people who are important to them. Parents and carers are actively encouraged to visit the home and staff regularly update them regards their children’s progress. Parents informed the inspector that they were very happy with the quality of care being provided and happy with the progress their children have made.

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

Children are helped and protected by compassionate staff who understand their needs. Children have individual communication passports and risk assessments that are reviewed monthly and amended to reflect emerging risk and need. Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 4 Children are protected in the home by the staff ensuring that there are appropriate safeguards in place. As a result, incidents in the home are rare. There have been no safeguarding incidents or physical interventions since the last inspection due to the effective safe care in the home and when children are outside the home.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour and understand children’s triggers. Staff know how to engage children to reduce behaviours through effective and appropriate intervention strategies. Children’s communication passports describe what they find helpful when they are feeling frustrated or distressed.

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

Staff understand child protection and whistleblowing arrangements and who they need to speak with should they have concerns.

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

Robust recruitment processes are in place to ensure only the most suitable staff are recruited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

Since the last inspection in October 2023 leaders and managers have continued to provide consistent and highly effective services for children. The quality of care has led to sustained improvements in the lives of children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

Managers have an excellent understanding of the service. They have created a home development plan that ensures leaders have a continuous focus on developing the service and the excellent quality of care provided to children. This includes progressing accreditation with a national charity to evidence their commitment to understanding autism and setting the standard for autism practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

Effective communication with key stakeholders has enabled the registered manager to develop and sustain positive working relationships with parents, carers, social workers, therapists, independent reviewing officers and educationalists. This ensures that all professionals are working collaboratively to ensure children receive the best possible care and experience. The impact is evident in the progress the children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

The competent and highly effective registered manager is highly ambitious for children and has created a positive and effective culture in the home. This has supported the retention of staff and ensured children receive consistent, high quality and continuous care by trusted child focused adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

Managers and adults caring for children are highly aspirational for all children and they provide high standards of individualised care. This includes advocating on behalf of children to ensure that their needs are met. Management oversight and quality assurance processes are robust, and this is ensuring that consistently high quality care is provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

The staff induction programme and learning opportunities is comprehensive and ensures staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to care effectively for children Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 5 who have special education and disability needs. Staff are trained to ensure they embed a trauma informed approach into their everyday interactions with children. Staff benefit from continuous learning to develop their skills to meet the needs of children through research informed practice discussions in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

Annual appraisals and reviews support staff to evaluate their development and identify future learning needs and career aspirations. Career progression opportunities are available to staff within the children home. This helps to retain experienced staff and ensures that children continue to be cared for by adults that they know. Staff achievements are celebrated. The contribution of the workforce to improving the lives of children is recognised and valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 6

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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: 2557141 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: D & J Care Services-Residential Ltd

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Inspector

Nicki Shaw, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2557141 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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