“Physical assault claims, poor staff performance and weak relationships,” is how a government inspector described a Derby children’s home during her damming report.

The privately-owned home, which was not named in the report, was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted after it found widespread failures and lack of care from staff.

During the two-day unannounced inspection, which took place on July 17 and 18, Ofsted inspector Davinia Lawton said there were a number of shortfalls in safeguarding at the site.

Ms Lawton wrote: “There are serious and widespread failures that mean young people are not protected.

“Physical intervention is inappropriately used. During a restraint, a young person banged his head. He also claimed that he had been physically assaulted by staff. However, no medical attention was sought and the allegation was not referred to the appropriate agencies.

“Safeguarding shortfalls mean that young people are not always protected from harm. Whistleblowing systems are not effective because staff have not always passed on information about poor practice. This has left young people, who are already extremely vulnerable, at risk of harm.

“Staff do not demonstrate the level of care and compassion that is necessary to enable young people to build strong and trusting relationships. Because staff do not have the necessary skills to de-escalate challenging behaviour, young people become very distressed.”

According to the report, which was made public this month (August 3), the home's "widespread failures" mean that young people are not protected.

Inspectors rated all three areas of the home, which provides long-term care and accommodation for up to five young people aged between 11 and 17, inadequate.

The report added: “Young people do not feel valued or respected. They do not feel that staff care about them. A young person said, ‘Some of them only come in for the pay. They are not supportive and they definitely do not care about any of us.’

“The lack of trusting relationships with staff increases the vulnerability of young people.

“Consultation and information sharing with young people is poor. Young people do not feel listened to. One young person said: ‘It’s a dictatorship. They just decide something is going to happen and then it happens. Staff make decisions behind your back and don’t even tell you why.’

“Because young people do not participate in decision making, they feel disengaged. One young person in particular has chosen to withdraw from the daily routines of the home.”

The home was rated good following their last inspection in 2017.

The Esland Group, which operates the home, was contacted for comment and told Derbyshire Live the care home would be back to a good rating within six to eight weeks.

A spokesperson for the company said it runs 25 different children's care homes around the country, which are all doing well.

They also said that the findings in the report were already highlighted to Ofsted prior to the visit.

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