A residential home for children with complex learning difficulties and disabilities has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted inspectors.
The Cherries, run by Dorset Council, is based in Weymouth and provides long-term
accommodation for up to nine children.
Ofsted visited the home in August and looked at the following areas:
• the experiences and progress of children and young people
• how well children and young people are protected
• the effectiveness of leadership and management
Inspectors said that children receive good quality care from dedicated staff with whom they have built strong, positive relationships. They said children are making good progress, especially in their personal development, education and with their involvement in the community.
Leadership and management of the home is good. Staff were praised for their relationships with families and professionals, and for regularly consulting with families of the children they care for. Parents and professionals also praised staff for their commitment to children, their communication skills and their hospitality.
Inspectors noted that safeguarding arrangements are good and that staff understand the additional vulnerabilities of the children they care for. They said they help children to take part in a range of exciting and challenging activities while keeping them safe.
Cllr Andrew Parry, portfolio holder for Children, Education and Learning, said:
“We’re delighted that The Cherries has been rated as good by Ofsted. Staff have worked very hard to make necessary improvements since its last inspection and I know they’ll continue to develop, learn and raise standards so the children who live there receive the best possible care.
The news comes a month after Dorset Council’s Cabinet agreed to look at how it could provide more residential care in Dorset, as part of its wider strategy to reduce the number of looked after children and the amount it spends on costly placements outside of the county. Cllr Parry added:
“By offering offer more high-quality and flexible residential care in Dorset, we can care for a child locally while they wait for a family placement or until they can return home. We’re currently exploring options, but the excellent work by staff at the Cherries is something that we can learn from and build upon.”
Areas for improvement at The Cherries include the quality of its assessments, maintaining staff training records and making sure the home continues to be a nurturing and supportive environment by reviewing the amount of health and safety signage.
Great work team!