Outstanding praise for Hatfield home

Following the inspection Oaklands, run by Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, was praised for providing children and young people with “a safe, comfortable and stimulating environment where they can have fun.”

The home, which provides residential short break stays for children aged seven to 18, with both learning and physical disabilities and complex health needs, ensures that the youngsters make significant progress in developing social and life skills, stated the Ofsted report.

Director of Children’s Social Care at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, Mark Douglas, said: “We have a wonderful team of dedicated staff at Oaklands, who are passionate about ensuring that all the children and young people in their care receive every service they need to develop and flourish. We are extremely proud of them.”

The report said: “The dedicated staff team members work hard with the young people to empower them to learn self-care and life skills, in preparation for their transition to adult provisions.”

In the report it said manager, Jason Darbyshire, was aspirational for the children and young people in his care to achieve to the best of their potential and the report added that as well as inspiring his staff team to constantly improve practice, he works closely with all partner agencies to ensure that the children and young people receive the consistent targeted care they need. The report said effective partnership working between staff and other professionals includes ‘outstanding partnership working between the home and schools,’ adding: “The proactive staff team members encourage further shared learning by ensuring that the children and young people have books in their bedrooms that reflect their interests and their cultural heritage.”