Children's Home run by Derbyshire County Council in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 1 Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2024 Full Good 21/11/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 26/10/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 3

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improvement to be good

The children were spoken to during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

This home is welcoming and well presented. Children’s bedrooms are thoughtfully designed to reflect their individual personalities, interests and tastes. This provides the children with a sense of identity and belonging. Children enjoy spending time in the large garden space that surrounds the home.

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improvement to be good

Whenever possible, staff visit children before they move to the home, ensuring a smooth and reassuring transition. Children are given photos of their new home beforehand to make them feel more at ease. Additionally, each child receives a thoughtful welcome pack filled with small gifts to help them feel comfortable and settled as they begin their new journey at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children attend educational provisions tailored to their individual needs and developmental stages, ensuring that they receive the appropriate support. Children’s attendance in education is consistently good, with staff going above and beyond to support children in attending school, even when it is located a significant distance from the home. Staff fully acknowledge the significance of education and consistently communicate with school professionals to meet children’s educational needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff are dedicated to supporting children in maintaining meaningful relationships with people who are important to them, including family members and friends. For children who live a long distance from their families, staff make efforts to encourage and facilitate these relationships. This allows children to continue to build and maintain relationships with those they are close to.

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improvement to be good

Staff engage in regular, thoughtful conversations with children, approaching each interaction with sensitivity and care. As a result, children feel safe and comfortable expressing their thoughts and concerns. These conversations are documented using language that is sensitive, thoughtful and easy to understand, should the children wish to access their records.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have requested to increase the number of children the home can provide care for. Ofsted has not yet assessed or approved this request. Despite this, they have admitted more children than the home is registered to provide care for. On two occasions, decisions have been made to admit additional children beyond the home’s approved capacity. These admissions took place without the necessary checks with Ofsted to ensure that the staff and the home environment are adequately equipped to meet the needs of additional children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 4

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improvement to be good

When managers become aware of allegations against staff, swift action is taken to inform the appropriate professional agencies and consider the necessary steps. However, there have been occasions when staff have failed to report allegations in accordance with safeguarding policy and procedures, leaving children at risk of harm. In instances where this has been identified as a concern, the actions required to address the issue with the involved staff members have not been carried out within reasonable time frames.

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improvement to be good

Clear and immediate actions are taken to locate children when they go missing from the home, including searching the local area and contacting relevant individuals. If necessary, police assistance is requested. When children return to the home after being missing, they are given the space to reflect on their reasons for going missing, allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings.

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improvement to be good

There is strong management oversight of missing-from-home incidents, with thorough analysis and evaluations carried out. This includes reviewing staff practices, identifying potential triggers for the behaviour, and ensuring that lessons are learned to prevent future occurrences. However, management oversight is not consistent across all incidents in the home. This is an area for further development.

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improvement to be good

Comprehensive risk assessments are in place and are promptly updated following any incidents of concern. These risk assessments outline specific actions staff should take to mitigate the risk of harm, ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect children.

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improvement to be good

Staff and management work in close partnership with the wider professional network to monitor and ensure the progress of children’s plans. Any concerns or incidents are promptly shared with the network around the children. One professional described communication as ‘excellent’ with themselves and other professionals involved with the children. As a result, there is continuous multi-agency support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has experienced a significant period without a registered manager. The current and acting manager has now submitted their application to register with Ofsted. At the time of the inspection, the manager was away from work. Therefore, the inspection was led by the operations manager and the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been several changes in the management team since the last inspection. Staff have expressed that these changes in leadership have affected morale, with many feeling that they are not always kept informed about important changes. This lack of communication has contributed to a sense of uncertainty and disruption among the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 5 During this period of instability, there has been increased oversight and visits to the home by senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following a substantiated allegation against the manager, the actions intended to address the situation and work with the manager have not yet been implemented by senior managers, resulting in delays. During the investigation, the manager continued to work in the home without a risk assessment to evaluate potential risks to children. Furthermore, senior managers have not met with the manager, who has maintained responsibility for the day-to-day running of the home. Leaders have carried out work with the manager in relation to allegations and considered the necessary steps to address them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff attend regular team meetings, which they say they find beneficial. However, staff are not receiving regular supervision as specified in the home’s statement of purpose. For some staff, this has resulted in extended periods without supervision from an appropriate person. This lack of consistent supervision prevents staff from having the necessary space to reflect on their practice and development, hindering opportunities for professional growth and improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On one occasion, staff have brought their own children to the home. The current senior leadership team was unaware of this incident. There is no documented evidence showing how this incident was permitted, and there is no indication of how the safety of the children living in the home was assessed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) 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(s) must comply within 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must promptly address any delays in staff reporting safeguarding concerns. 2 May 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— 2 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 7 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is a consistent and stable management team. Any changes in the organisation should be communicated to the staff team. This also relates to ensuring that management has adequate oversight and promptly addresses safeguarding concerns with those involved.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 2 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 8 In particular, the registered person should ensure that they admit no more than the number of children specified in the home’s conditions of registration.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Staff should be provided with records of supervision. 16 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 9 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 9 implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. Management oversight should be consistent throughout. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2508344 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Offices, Matlock DE4 3AG

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Inspector

Jess Baines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2508344 11 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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