Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 1 SC036009 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

This home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides short-break stays for up to 6 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2010.

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2025

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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: SC036009 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2025 Full Good 26/04/2023 Full Good 25/07/2022 Full Good 22/09/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who stay at the home have lots of opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities which provide them with new experiences. Children enjoy art and crafts, sensory play, baking and outdoor play. Trips out are well planned and tailored around children’s individual likes and interests. One parent said: ‘Staff are amazing. They plan for [name of child]’s stay at the home when there is an activity planned that they know my child will enjoy doing.’ Memory books capture children’s individual experiences of staying at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions for children are well planned and child centred. Staff establish and start to build relationships with the child and their family before they come to stay at the home. This helps children to feel safe and secure when they stay at the home and it means that the experience for the child is positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Families and other professionals report that children receive a high standard of care when they stay at the home. One parent said: ‘I feel confident that when [name of child] stays at the home, they are being well cared for. I feel reassured leaving them because of how well staff know [name of child]’s. They understand the small things and that is what is important for a parent.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are provided with an excellent standard of nurturing care when they stay at the home. Staff know the children exceptionally well and they understand each child’s individual needs. Staff are aspirational for the children. They set clear targets for children and they celebrate their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who stay at this home often have complex health and learning needs. Staff work collaboratively with health professionals involved with the children, which means that joint care planning is strong and that staff have a better understanding of children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand each child’s preferred methods of communication. Children have made progress in their communication since they started staying at the home. Records show that children’s wishes and feelings are captured and responded to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are helped and supported to develop independence. Targets set for children are individual to each child and consider their starting point and abilities. Because of the help and support provided by staff, some children have made progress in their personal care routines; some children have improved sleep routines, and some children now enjoy a more varied and healthy diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have established positive relationships with educational professionals involved with the children. Communication between staff and children’s teachers is effective, which Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 4 means that transitions for children between home and school are positive and children feel supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is warm and homely. Children’s bedrooms are bright and nicely decorated, and children are encouraged to bring their personal belongings with them when they stay at the home.

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

Children are well cared for, and they are protected when they stay at the home. This is because staff know the children well and they are clear about the steps to take to mitigate the risks for individual children.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments are detailed and clear, and they are kept under review by the manager.

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

Children who stay at this home do not go missing. However, there are clear protocols in place should this happen. The focus of the plan relates to the transitions for children between home and school.

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

Incidents are rare. When children do struggle to manage difficult feelings that they may be experiencing, staff use their relationships with children to support them. Since the last inspection, there have not been any incidents where staff have needed to intervene physically and consequences to behaviour are not used.

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

When children experience a medical emergency, staff are clear about the steps to take and they respond in line with children’s individual health plans. The systems in place for the safe storage and administration of medication are effective, and medication audits are conducted regularly. Staff are skilled and experienced in meeting children’s health needs, and are overseen by external expert health professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is suitably qualified and has a wealth of experience in caring for children who have complex health and learning needs. Her approach is child focused, and she is a positive role model for staff. The manager and staff are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for children. They want the best for the children, and they hold the children at the centre of decision-making in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working is embedded in this home. Professionals consistently said that communication and information-sharing are outstanding, and that there is a flexible approach to planning children’s stays to ensure that families are supported. Families hold the manager and staff in high regard. One parent said: ‘The manager and staff are amazing. They support the whole family, not just [name of child]. They will always go the extra mile; we consider them to be a part of our extended family.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC036009 5 There is a well-established, stable staff team at this home. All children have key staff who oversee the child’s care plan. The manager ensures that the rotas for individual children’s key staff are planned around children’s stays to ensure that children receive continuous and consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager carefully considers planning for children to stay at the home to ensure that children receive appropriate levels of supervision to meet their individual needs and to minimise any potential impact of children staying at the home on other children. This positive approach also ensures that children are supported to build and maintain positive friendships with their peers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides staff with effective leadership and support. Staff said that they feel supported and that morale in the team is high. Staff receive good-quality supervision which enables them to discuss the children and reflect on practice. Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. These meetings are often used for staff development opportunities, to refresh staff’s safeguarding knowledge and to ensure that practice is researched based.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the home and there are effective systems in place to review and monitor the quality of care.

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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: SC036009 6

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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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Inspectors

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector (Lead) Angela Ross, 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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