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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 1 Registered provider: City of Doncaster 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

The home is managed and run by a local authority. It provides care for up to 3 children who may have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has recently been appointed and has not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. All 3 were observed during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children live at the home on a permanent basis, and one child stays as part of a shared care arrangement. No children have moved on from the home since the last inspection.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/08/2025 Full Good 17/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from warm, nurturing relationships with staff who know them well and are responsive to their individual needs. Children’s views, wishes and feelings are actively sought and valued. Staff use a range of personalised communication methods to ensure children can express themselves effectively, enabling them to influence important aspects of their daily lives, including activities, meal planning and how they spend their time.

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Summary of findings

Staff are attuned to children’s behaviours and presentation, which helps them identify changes quickly and provide timely support. Interactions between staff and children are consistently kind, caring and reassuring. Children experience a strong sense of safety, security and belonging within the home.

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Summary of findings

The home is led by a manager who provides effective and robust oversight. Children’s plans and records are comprehensive, regularly reviewed and clearly demonstrate the progress and achievements children make. Staff report feeling supported by the manager, which contributes to a positive and reflective culture focused on meeting children’s needs and promoting positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in this home. Staff provide children with care and support, which helps them to develop new skills and achieve positive outcomes. Achievements, no matter how small, are recognised and celebrated, helping children to build confidence and self-esteem. Staff provide a warm, welcoming and homely environment where children are encouraged to make use of all areas of the home and personalise their bedrooms and communal spaces. Photos displayed throughout the home capture children enjoying a range of experiences and reflect the positive relationships they share with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are valued. A range of communication aids are available to ensure that children can express themselves in ways that meet their individual needs. Staff work hard to understand and promote children’s voices and advocate for their preferences and choices. Independent advocates visit the home regularly to support children and ensure that their views are heard and represented in planning and decision-making processes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although full-time educational provision has not always been readily available, staff remain committed to promoting children’s learning and development. Staff encourage children to maintain routines, engage in educational activities and access learning opportunities wherever possible. The manager has been persistent in seeking appropriate education packages and resources to meet children’s needs, demonstrating a strong commitment to improving their educational experiences and outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 4 Children benefit from a wide range of enjoyable activities, both in and outside the home. Staff are proactive in encouraging children to try new experiences, develop interests and build confidence. Activities are carefully tailored to provide stimulation, enjoyment and learning opportunities. Children are supported to develop their independence skills, with staff working alongside them to help them acquire and practise new skills that will

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Staff actively promote and facilitate family time and work closely with families to ensure that children can enjoy meaningful contact. Families receive regular updates about their children’s experiences and progress through a variety of communication methods. Feedback from family members is positive, with relatives describing the home as a caring, supportive and loving environment where children are valued and cared for.

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

Children are cared for by staff who are committed to promoting their safety and wellbeing. Staff provide children with effective support and protection while creating a warm, nurturing and homely environment where children feel secure and valued. Relationships between staff and children are positive, helping children to develop trust and confidence in those who care for them.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of the risks associated with each child and use detailed risk assessments to inform their practice. These assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect children’s changing needs and circumstances. Following any incident, staff promptly review children’s plans to ensure that strategies remain effective and responsive.

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

Staff support children to understand and manage their emotions effectively. Staff are knowledgeable about children’s individual triggers and use planned strategies to help children to feel safe and calm. Staff are trained in therapeutic approaches and consistently promote positive behaviour. Children’s achievements, progress and positive choices are recognised and celebrated, which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem.

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

Physical intervention is rarely required and is only used as a last resort to protect children or others from harm. Staff know children well and are skilled at identifying early signs of distress, enabling them to use effective de-escalation techniques to prevent incidents from escalating. Following any incident, staff take time to speak with children, helping them to understand what has happened, reflect on their feelings and learn from the experience while maintaining clear and consistent boundaries.

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

Safeguarding practice is strong in this home. Staff understand their responsibilities and are confident in seeking advice and support when concerns arise. Clear safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures are readily available, ensuring that staff can access guidance and relevant contact information when needed. Allegations and concerns about poor Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 5 practice are taken seriously and managed appropriately. The manager provides effective oversight of safeguarding matters, ensuring that investigations are completed thoroughly and information is shared with relevant agencies. The manager has established positive working relationships with the local authority designated officer and seeks advice and shares information promptly to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides stability and continuity for children and staff. The manager knows the children well and has a clear understanding of their individual needs, strengths and progress. The manager regularly reviews the quality of care provided and exercises effective management oversight. Children’s plans are aligned with local authority care plans while clearly identifying individual needs, achievements and areas for development. Written records are detailed, child focused and aspirational, supporting staff to deliver consistent care that promotes positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established effective systems for staff development. Induction programmes are comprehensive and help new staff develop the skills and knowledge required for their role. Staff benefit from a range of training opportunities, including additional training tailored to the specific needs of children living in the home. This enhances staff practice and strengthens the quality of care and support provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication with professionals and families is effective. The manager ensures that important information is shared promptly and regular reports are given to keep family members and relevant agencies informed about children’s progress. Positive feedback from families and partner agencies reflects the manager’s commitment to collaborative working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing arrangements have been affected by workforce instability, resulting in a reliance on agency and non-permanent staff. Although risk assessments are in place to ensure that a permanent member of staff is always on duty, the high use of agency staff has the potential to affect consistency of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions provide staff with opportunities to reflect on children’s experiences, progress and emerging needs. Sessions have not always been completed in line with the home’s policy or within required timescales, which means some staff have not received support as consistently as intended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff have completed the required childcare qualification within the agreed timeframe, although the manager does monitor progress towards completion. The home’s workforce development plan does not contain all required information and therefore does not provide a fully comprehensive overview of staff experience, development or training needs, as required by regulation. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)) 30 October 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should have a training workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children’s home: 2771730 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: 2771730 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: 2771730 9 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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