Children's home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 1 SC018241 Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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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 home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection, and the inspector spoke with them both.

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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 outstanding

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Outstanding 07/02/2024 Full Outstanding 06/03/2023 Full Outstanding 09/02/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff show unwavering support and dedication to caring for children through the most challenging times. Professional comments about the children’s care included: ‘We were both incredibly impressed with the level of compassion and care offered by those working at the home. They would go above and beyond in their support to [child’s name].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff spend quality time with children, helping children to form excellent relationships with them. This time together helps the children to share their wishes and feelings. Staff take the time to listen to children’s views and help them to achieve their future goals. This investment in children helps them to feel a sense of belonging and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress in managing personal health issues. Staff work with medical professionals to ensure that the right care strategies are in place. The progress helps children to feel confident, and it improves their physical and emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work closely with a range of specialist professionals to support the children’s emotional wellbeing. The organisation’s therapist provides staff with valuable support. This support allows staff to reflect on their practice and identify new and individualised ways to support the children. When children experience extreme crisis, the staff work with external specialists to ensure that they are delivering care to meet children’s changing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy an extensive range of activities. Staff are committed and proud to provide new and exciting opportunities that broaden and enhance children’s life experiences. Trips include caravan holidays, special celebrations, trips out for meals and desserts, and visits to flight simulators.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s moves on from the home are thoroughly planned. Children receive individualised support, encouragement and reflective discussions to help ensure they that they are well prepared for their move. Children are helped to develop safe support networks beyond the home. As a result, they know how to access help and services when needed. In the rare event of an unexpected move-on for a child, staff do all they can to help the child’s move go as smoothly as possible. When children are leaving, they benefit from personalised letters and a well-crafted memory book that celebrates their achievements and helps them to remember their special memories here.

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

The staff follow children’s risk assessments and safety plans. They are quick to take action to manage and reduce risks. Staff use a range of strategies to try and redirect behaviours before a crisis starts. Physical intervention is used as a last resort. When it is used, it is only low-level guidance for the minimum time necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 4 To promote positive behaviour, some children choose to have personal goals to work towards. Staff help children to take small steps that lead to big achievements. When children succeed in everyday events, for example having a positive week at school, children are naturally rewarded to celebrate their success. Other incentive schemes, such as ‘Wow Moments’, also help to promote positive choices and achievements.

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

The children learn how to keep themselves safe. The staff create personalised sessions, and they devise innovative packages of child-friendly information that help children to learn. The sessions children benefit from include work about safe relationships, stranger danger and online safety. Children make excellent progress and learn how to recognise risks, which helps to promote their independence.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, the staff are quick to follow missing-from-home plans to help them find children as quickly as possible. The staff make calls to the children’s friends and family; they go out looking for children and they work with the police to try and locate them. After a missing event, children benefit from return home interviews. The interview helps to gain information to reduce future risks.

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

Staff take immediate action when they become aware of risk to children, for example risks and concerns in the local area. They research the risks and work with specialist police professionals to help them gather information. If they think children may be visiting the area, they go the extra mile to regularly visit the area themselves. They put additional safety measures in place to make sure that children are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and deputy manager work closely together. They are positive role models who lead the team by example. They are extremely dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for children. No matter how hard things get, even in times of crisis, they stick by children and make sure their best interests are promoted. The staff team mirrors this approach. One professional said: ‘The managers were clearly pivotal to the level of resilience displayed by their staff during a very tricky time. Their calm steadfastness and warm presence offer their team a supportive foundation with which they are empowered to do their very best by the children in their care.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is extremely reflective. She knows the strengths of this service and the areas she wishes to develop. When situations do not go to plan, she creates a review to analyse events and practice to see where improvements can be made to help the children moving forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff feel extremely well supported by the managers. They report feeling that they can talk to them any time. The staff have regular, reflective supervision sessions. The sessions ensure that they are confident to carry out their role, and the sessions help to identify any support the staff may need. Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 5 Staff receive an excellent range of training. They also benefit from research-based learning around children’s specialist needs. This research provides staff with a deeper understanding of individual children’s needs, and it helps to provide innovative strategies to support them. As children’s needs change, staff training is routinely developed. However, despite staff receiving initial ligature training, the provider has not routinely updated their training offer, or protocols, for the management of ligatures and ligature cutters. Staff were knowledgeable about the children’s current self-harm risk and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers have an excellent network of professionals they work with. This ensures that children get the support they need, when they need it. Agencies they work alongside include the youth offending team, specialist mental health services, medical professionals and schools. One professional commented, ‘The managers attended every external professional meeting as active participants, with the best interests of the children at the heart of what they offered. They have a passion that I have rarely experienced from other settings.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers’ monitoring systems provide an effective tool to help them to monitor all aspects of children’s progress and the overall running of the home. Clear evaluation outlines next steps to make sure that children continue to make excellent progress in all areas of their development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there are clear plans in place for the management of ligature risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC018241 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 4AD

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Inspectors

Jamie Richardson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC018241 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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