Children's Home run by City of Doncaster Council in Doncaster

Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 1 Registered provider: City of Doncaster Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. 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

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home. Two children were spoken to and provided feedback.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2025 Full Outstanding 28/08/2024 Full Outstanding 14/06/2023 Full Good 31/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 3

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Summary of findings

Children living in the home are given opportunities to participate in activities and are encouraged to learn new skills. Staff encourage children to enjoy their time away from education and learning, and this makes children feel supported and proud.

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Summary of findings

Staff are aware of the risks children face, and assessments are regularly updated. Children are encouraged to discuss any known risks, and staff will work alongside professionals and family members to help reduce them. Since the last inspection, there have been a significant number of incidents when children have been missing or have stayed away from the home overnight.

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Summary of findings

Management support and oversight in the home are strong. Staff describe a supportive work environment and stable management team. Staff benefit from regular supervision and training, which helps them provide stable and consistent care for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a clear priority, and staff actively encourage children’s educational attendance and engagement. Staff work effectively with education professionals, who say that information is communicated effectively. This collaborative approach helps children recognise their progress and feel proud of their accomplishments. Staff also create opportunities in the home for children to develop new skills, further supporting their learning and personal development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings, and staff spend meaningful time listening to them. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and contribute ideas about how the home operates. This helps children feel respected and valued. Staff develop positive, trusting relationships through consistent and nurturing care. This consistency enables children to feel safe, secure and settled in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a wide range of activities that support their enjoyment and personal development. They attend after-school clubs and choose activities to participate in with staff and peers. Staff encourage children to set goals, and they consistently acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments. This promotes children’s confidence and self-esteem. The stable staff team enables children to form secure attachments and develop positive relationships with others. Regular time spent with staff provides children with reassurance and a sense of permanency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into and out of the home are well planned. The manager carefully considers known risks and the needs of children already living in the home. New children are warmly welcomed and encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. They are provided Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 4 with information about the home and the local community, which helps them settle and feel included.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to local health services and specialist support where required. Staff work closely with health and education professionals, which strengthens the care provided. Children are encouraged to attend routine medical and dental appointments and develop an understanding of managing their health. One child continues to use an e-cigarette, and staff have not ensured that targeted and specialist support has been pursued to fully address this health need and promote safer choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family members and those who are important to the children are identified, and, where possible, welcomed into the home. Staff encourage the children to spend time with their friends and families. This helps children feel important and cared for.

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

Staff receive regular safeguarding training and benefit from clear management oversight following any safeguarding concerns or incidents. Safeguarding procedures are followed appropriately, and staff understand how to escalate concerns. Managers are accessible outside of core hours, ensuring that staff can seek timely advice and guidance when required.

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

Children are given opportunities to speak to staff about any worries or concerns. Risks to children are identified and assessed before they move into the home, and this information is shared with staff so they can support children safely. Risk assessments are reviewed and updated as children’s circumstances change, ensuring that staff have access to relevant and current information to guide their practice.

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

Since the last inspection, some children have experienced episodes of going missing from home and unauthorised absences. Staff respond promptly when children are missing. They share information appropriately with relevant agencies and actively search for children. Return home interviews are offered in line with local safeguarding procedures. Staff have not consistently succeeded in decreasing the frequency of missing-from-home incidents for all children.

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

There is positive progress towards supporting children in managing their behaviour safely. Restrictive practices are only used when necessary to prevent harm to the child or others. Following incidents, staff take time to speak with children about what happened and how it made them feel. This supports children’s emotional understanding and helps them develop safer ways to express themselves. Positive behaviour is consistently encouraged and acknowledged, which helps children develop confidence and self- control.

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

Staff spend time helping children understand risks in the local community. Children receive clear, consistent guidance that helps them identify potential dangers and develop skills to keep themselves safe. This approach helps children increase their awareness and make safer choices as they grow in age and independence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides effective leadership and management, ensuring that children receive good-quality care. The manager works closely with the staff team to monitor children’s progress and provide clear oversight of practice. They know the children well and use this knowledge to ensure that care is responsive to their individual needs and promotes positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe a supportive and positive working environment. The manager prioritises staff development and ensures that they receive regular supervision, training and ongoing support. This enables staff to build confidence, develop their skills and provide consistent care for children. Staff feel valued and well supported, which contributes to continuity of care and helps children feel safe and settled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager actively seeks the views of children, staff, families and professionals involved in children’s care. Feedback is used constructively to inform improvements and ensure that children’s views and experiences remain central to the running of the home. The manager demonstrates strong advocacy on behalf of children and will challenge and influence partner agencies effectively where needed. This supports improved outcomes for children and strengthens staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong working relationships have been developed with external agencies that provide services to children and staff. Communication with partner professionals is timely and effective, which helps ensure that children’s plans are progressed and their needs are met. These partnerships also support staff by ensuring that they have access to relevant advice, guidance and specialised training when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that children’s time in the home is well recorded and celebrated. Children’s progress is captured through photos and written records reflecting their experiences and achievements. Staff take care to help children develop positive, meaningful memories of their time living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is currently working towards a leadership and management qualification and has identified its completion as a priority. This demonstrates their commitment to professional development and to further strengthening the quality of leadership and management in the home. The qualification has not been attained within the regulatory time frame. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose and the number and needs (including any needs arising from disability) of the children;

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has:

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Requirement Due date

the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 5 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home. (Regulation 28 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)) 30 October 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with the home’s ethos, children are offered advice, support and guidance on their health and wellbeing. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to help children understand and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and wellbeing, such as vaping. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 34 and 35, paragraphs 7.10 and 7.18) Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 7

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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: 2701843 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : City of Doncaster Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catherine Richardson

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Inspector

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2701843 9 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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