Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 1 SC036023

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Registered provider: Sheffield City 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 children’s home. It is registered with Ofsted to provide short breaks for up to 8 children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. Two children are also able to live full time at the home until a suitable home is found. This means that, currently, the short breaks service is not operating.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good 07/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/10/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child living at this home is happy and settled, and they are thriving and making remarkable progress. Staff provide the child with strong routines and structure, and they ensure that the child is clear about the day-to-day routines in place. Staff are consistent in their approach, which helps to reduce the child’s anxieties and helps them to feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has made excellent progress with their communication. Staff help the child to develop their written and verbal communication skills, which has led to the child feeling less frustrated communicating their wishes and feelings. As a result, incidents have reduced. The child’s voice is considered in everything that happens in this home. Their wishes and feelings are captured across records showing that the child is very much involved in decisions about the home and the care that they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child enjoys positive and trusting relationships with staff, who know the child well and have an excellent understanding of the child’s needs. Staff provide the child with nurturing, unconditional care. They are aspirational for the child, and they celebrate the child’s achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are proactive in their approach to help the child to access medical appointments and treatment. They understand the barriers the child faces, and they use their relationships with the child to help to reduce the anxieties that the child may be experiencing. The child has improved personal care skills, and they now enjoy a varied and healthy diet. Staff work collaboratively with mental health professionals, which enables them to understand and meet the child’s emotional needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care planning at this home is strong, with an emphasis on including the child and their family in decisions made about the child. There is a high importance placed on promoting the child’s cultural needs and religion and helping the child to explore and develop their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The barriers to the child’s education are understood and there is strong multi-agency planning to support the child to attend. When the child struggles with the transition to school, staff are committed to supporting the child and they are flexible in their approach. Staff provide the child with lots of opportunities for informal learning activities at home, and they help the child to develop their independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child is provided with a wide range of activities, including soft play, arts and crafts, baking and karaoke singing. Staff are committed to promoting activities outside of the home and they are imaginative in their approach to help to reduce the child’s anxieties about leaving the home. This positive approach has led to the child enjoying visits to the park, swimming and a holiday to the seaside. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 4 Family time is supported in line with the child’s plan. Staff have built positive relationships with the child’s family, and they go above and beyond to help to maintain these relationships for the child. The child’s parent said, ‘Staff are helpful and always there to help me to understand [Name of child’s] needs and the best way to communicate.’

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

Incidents have reduced because the child has been helped to develop their communication skills, which means that they are better able to communicate how they are feeling when they are experiencing difficult emotions. Records show that staff talk to the child about how they are feeling, they have a nurturing approach, and they respond to the child sensitively.

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

When staff have needed to intervene physically, records show that this has been necessary to keep the child safe. Staff and the child are provided with the opportunity to talk about the incident.

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

The child’s individual risk assessment identifies all known risks to the child, they provide clear guidance for staff, and they are kept under review by the manager. The child is subject to restrictions by a court order. These are clearly documented in the child’s plan, and staff are clear about their responsibilities to ensure that the approach used is least restrictive.

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

Allegations are taken seriously, they are investigated and information is shared with safeguarding professionals. The manager has ensured that staff have been provided with additional training to refresh their knowledge on how to respond to a child making a safeguarding disclosure or an allegation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and his deputy are suitably qualified, and they both have a wealth of experience in supporting vulnerable children who have additional learning needs. There is a strong and stable team of staff at this home, who are skilled and experienced. This means that the child receives a high standard of consistent and continuous care from staff, who are committed to helping the child achieve the best possible outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an innovative approach to staff development. The manager works collaboratively with other professionals to ensure that there is an additional layer of support for staff to help them to develop their knowledge about any strategies used to support the child. In addition to providing staff with a wide range of core training, the manager utilises research-based practice to provide staff with activity-based training opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. For example, the manager delivered training to explore the cultural impact on parenting styles. Staff said this additional training is beneficial to their development and practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 5 The manager holds his staff in high regard, and he provides them with effective leadership. Staff said that they feel supported and valued by the manager and by the wider senior leadership team, whose members have a strong presence in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision, which provides them with the opportunity to reflect on practice. Team meetings take place regularly; they are well attended and provide staff with the opportunity to discuss the child’s plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Audit systems in place are effective and management oversight at this home is strong. The manager is analytical in his evaluation of the quality of care provided to the child and he is professionally curious about any changes in the child’s behaviour or risks. The manager is confident to adapt the strategies used to support the child when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes child-centred decisions when children move out of the home. One child moved out of the home in a well-planned and positive way. Staff continued to support the child when they moved out to help them to settle into their new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is strong multi-agency working at this home. The manager and staff work collaboratively with all professionals involved in the child’s life. Other professionals commended the manager and staff on the support that they provide for the child and the child’s family. One professional said, ‘Staff are amazing. They are committed, resilient and they have an excellent understanding of [Name of child’s] needs. Staff are the reason they have made so much progress; their approach is child centred, and they understand the child’s past experiences.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 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: SC036023 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC036023 8 regulates 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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