Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 1 SC036009 Registered provider: Sheffield City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides short-break stays for up to six children with physical and learning disabilities, and children who have significant and often complex health needs. One child may stay for a longer period while they are waiting for a suitable permanent home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2010.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2023 Full Good 25/07/2022 Full Good 22/09/2021 Full Outstanding 04/03/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with care and treat them with respect. The staff team is consistent, and there are very few staff vacancies. The few temporary members of staff who are used in the home were previously permanent staff. Therefore, children are supported by staff who know them well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is part of an office and school building. Externally, the building does not reflect the same warm, welcoming and homely environment of the inside of the home where children stay. The home is well maintained and has been improved recently with a covered patio area so that children can play and eat in the garden in the warm weather.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children with complex medical needs stay at the home. Staff nurture and help children to make progress and achieve small but significant steps that are individual for them. For example, one child has learnt to raise his arms when having his top put on. These achievements, whether large or small, are recognised and celebrated by the staff. Staff proudly display photographs around the home and share these photos with families. Children enjoy new and familiar experiences during their stays, such as trips to attrac- tions and birthday parties.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families value the short breaks that they receive, and their children enjoy the time that they spend at the home. Families and professionals speak positively about staff. They describe the staff team as ‘responsive’, and they receive frequent and helpful updates regarding their children’s care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s guide has been reviewed but is undated and does not use accessible and appropriate language to help children understand expectations in the home.

p.3

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

Children have positive and trusting relationships with staff. Children are supported by staff who set consistent boundaries that they respond to well. As a result, there has been no need for staff to physically hold children in an unplanned way.

p.3

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

The manager implements safer recruitment processes. This means that when new staff come to work in the home, appropriate checks have been carried out. This is a protective factor for children who stay.

p.3

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

Medication processes have been reviewed, and new policies have been written with an external training provider. New training and competency packages have been developed to update staff’s skills and knowledge. Since the systems have been in place, there have been improvements in administration and recording and a reduction in mistakes. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 4 Each child has plans for their care recorded, and the risks they face are captured in records. Daily records contain symbols that make them more accessible to children. The quality of recording varies in records; some are up to date and others are not.

p.3

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

Three children use a bed with zip-fastened sides, which restricts their movement. Children’s risk assessments do not clarify what the risk is for them and why the bed is required. Furthermore, a suitably skilled professional should provide input and continuously review the use of a bed like this. It is therefore not clear whether this is the least restrictive option for the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified, experienced and understands the needs of the children well. She wants children to have positive experiences in the home and make progress. The manager knows what progress each child is making and ensures that staff also understand this.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the manager and access a wide range of training to develop their skills and knowledge. This includes refresher training to meet the specific needs of each child. Supervision sessions and annual appraisals take place regularly. New staff are supported through a thorough induction.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When incidents happen, leaders take effective action to address any concerns and support staff with learning through training, discussion at team meetings and revised procedures.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s relationships and communication with professionals are good. Staff attend and contribute to multi-agency meetings for children. The manager actively challenges issues when professionals do not consult regularly with children or when reports are inaccurate.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are listened to and respected. Managers seek the children’s feedback in areas of daily life to shape their time in the home. As a result, the home provides equipment, games, activities and trips in line with children’s likes and wishes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers review children’s case files, but this does not happen in a systematic way or in line with their own stated timescales. As a result, some moving and handling assessments have not been updated, and contain historic information that is no longer relevant. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide is age appropriate and provided in an accessible format for children who use the service. The children’s guide should help children understand the day-to-day routines and expectations in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraphs 4.21 and 4.22)  The registered person should ensure that children’s plans are up to date and remain relevant to their individual needs and circumstances. In particular, care plans and risk assessments should be updated in line with the home’s own timescales and ensure that they clarify clearly why the use of equipment such as safe space beds that restrict movement are needed, continuously review what the risks are and include input from a suitably skilled professional. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 11.1)

p.5

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: SC036009 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Sheffield City Council

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

p.6

Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7