Children's Home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Barnsley

Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 1 SC064454

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Registered provider: Dove Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection, and they were spoken with. One child had recently moved out from the home.

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Information about this children's home

A manager has been appointed, and they have applied to register with Ofsted. This inspection was supported by the appointed manager and senior leaders.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 25 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2025 Full Good 11/03/2024 Full Good 15/03/2023 Full Outstanding 15/02/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, welcoming and well-maintained environment for children. Children's bedrooms are personalised with home comforts that encourage ownership and pride in their space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care is tailored to children's individual needs, enabling them to make progress and achieve positive outcomes. Children's strong attachments to their family and friends and the area they grew up in have influenced their ability to fully invest in the home, and this continues to shape their social and emotional experiences. Staff work hard to mitigate this and respond with sensitivity and consistency of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children form positive and trusting relationships with staff, which enables them to engage in activities that build connections. These include pamper sessions, enjoying a coffee at their favourite café or having a simple chat in the car journey to school. The child's preference to spend significant time with their family and friends limits their opportunity to fully benefit from the home's routines and relationships and experiences with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff communication with professionals is regular, purposeful and includes appropriate challenge to ensure that decisions remain in the child's best interests. As a result, one child's move out from the home was well planned and resulted in a positive outcome, reflecting effective partnership working.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong focus on engaging children in education and creating an environment that supports learning and ambitions. Staff work closely with schools and colleges to identify and address barriers, demonstrating a commitment to improving outcomes for children. Staff support has helped children to re-engage with structured learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The managers have made several attempts to source an independent advocate for the child. This will support the child to have their voice, rights, views and opinions heard and promoted. However, the child still does not have access to this support, and the manager has not escalated this to effect change for the child.

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

Risks are clearly assessed, identified and recorded, enabling staff to understand the child's needs and respond consistently. Strategies to reduce risk-taking behaviours are effective, and the child is living in a safe and nurturing environment.

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

The child said they feel safe and happy living at this home. The child can articulate their feelings, demonstrating emotional security. The staffing ratio and lone-working risk assessment provide a strong safety net for staff and ensure that clear guidance is followed to maintain the child's safety and wellbeing. Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 4 Assessed risks are minimal, and the child does not go missing from the home. When the child has stayed out without permission, staff have known their whereabouts and taken appropriate steps to ensure the child's safety and wellbeing. The missing-from-home protocol provides staff with clear strategies should the child be deemed missing. The child is trusted to have unsupervised time with family and friends, and staff carry out welfare calls and physical checks to maintain the child's safety.

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

When the child experiences heightened emotional distress, resulting in escalated behaviours, staff respond consistently, using a recognised therapeutic approach that aims to help the child. The child can express their frustrations and, when ready and able, will talk to staff about what was troubling them. There has only been one physical intervention used by staff. This was proportionate and necessary to keep the child safe and demonstrates staff's ability to manage behaviour safely and effectively.

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

Safe recruitment practices are in place, ensuring that individuals are suitably vetted and safe to work with children. This contributes to a safe and protective environment for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a period of uncertainty in the management of the home. The home has been well supported by the deputy manager and senior leaders. They have responded effectively and worked hard to re-establish stability, ensuring that staff are supported and children experience consistent care. A new manager is now appointed who has a working knowledge of the home and is strengthening continuity and leadership oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and has a wealth of experience. The manager is hands-on and has started to develop a strong understanding of the child's needs and experiences. The manager is committed to the ongoing development of the home, ensuring that improvements directly benefit children. This approach provides clear direction and contributes to a more stable and nurturing environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager's care planning is child-centred and captures the child's wishes, feelings and views, ensuring that their voice is heard and is central to future planning. The manager's oversight is evaluative and reflective, and they recognise the benefit of independent quality assurance visits. However, these visits have gathered limited feedback from parents and professionals, limiting the manager's insight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive the necessary support and guidance, with regular supervision sessions helping them to reflect on and improve their practice. This ensures that staff are well equipped to meet the needs of the child and supports their professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is available both face to face and online, supporting staff development and confidence. The manager and deputy have begun identifying staff strengths to match Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 5 the needs of the child and in championing the home's development. Staff work collectively as a team, promoting consistency and stability for the child.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child's needs, that this should be challenged. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make reasonable efforts to seek feedback from the child, the parents and professionals to inform their quality-of-care review. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: SC064454 6

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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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Inspector

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC064454 7 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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Inspector

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