Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Unique reference number SC032701 Inspection date 02/12/2010 Inspector Stephen Graham Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 20/07/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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About this inspection

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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Brief description of the service

The service provides long term residential care for up to nine looked after young people of either sex, aged from 16 years old up to their 18th birthday. Care is provided in a staged way, which moves young people from a group living environment in Stage One to semi-independent living in Stage Two.

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Brief description of the service

The building is detached and purpose-built. There are five bedrooms in Stage One and two flats and two bedsits in Stage Two. There are a number of other communal rooms available in Stage One, including a lounge, dining room and sitting room. There is a training skills and education room which is used to help promote independent living skills.

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Brief description of the service

The home is located within a short walking distance of a variety of local amenities. It is also well served by public transport.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

The purpose of this unannounced visit was an interim inspection to sample some key national minimum standards. The inspection examined outcomes for young people in the area of staying safe. In addition, progress with the recommendations made at the previous inspection with regard to being safe and organisation were also examined.

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Summary

The outcome for the area of staying safe is outstanding and the overall quality rating for the service continues to be good. One shortfall was identified as a result of this inspection; this relates to some aspects of records kept at the home and only impacts in a limited way on the well-being and safety of young people.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, four recommendations were made to improve practice in the outcome areas of being healthy, staying safe and organisation. All of these have been implemented fully by the manager and staff team.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has outstanding arrangements in place to help make sure that young people are cared for safely. There is written guidance in place regarding staff entering and searching bedrooms, where this is necessary, to help keep children safe. Records are kept of any search undertaken and the outcome. Young people themselves are supported to record their own views regarding any search undertaken and the reasons for it. Their written comments included very positive examples of apologies written by young people to staff where actions and behaviours had triggered the need for a room search. Written guidance is provided to staff about how they should complete care records and store these safely. Young people also receive guidance and are encouraged by staff to discuss and contribute to their care records.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff members check to make sure that any visitors to the home are suitable. They supervise visitors to help ensure that both they and the young people who live in the home are safe when they are present. There are good arrangements in place to undertake thorough checks on any new staff that may come to work at the home, to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The arrangements put in place to help safeguard young people from abuse are outstanding. Young people themselves have been encouraged and supported by staff and external professionals to undertake and complete certificated training which helps to safeguard them. Training is also provided regularly to all staff. There are outstanding strategies and systems in place to help monitor the safety of young people and respond to any incidents. The staff team work in close partnership with placing social workers, police, housing and health professionals to identify and respond to any known risks to young people within the local community. Detailed individual risk assessments are also completed for each young person. These demonstrate how staff will respond to any safety concerns and are regularly reviewed by staff in partnership with placing social workers and young people themselves. If young people are ever missing, staff follow agreed procedures to help

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

make sure they are found and kept safe as quickly as possible. Detailed written records are kept by staff of each absence and the known reasons for this. The records demonstrate clearly that each incident is also closely reviewed and discussed with young people by their social worker or someone independent of the home following their return.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is clear guidance in place to help staff protect young people from bullying. Young people also receive clear information about how they can complain if they are ever unhappy living at the home. There are procedures in place which are used by staff to help children develop socially acceptable behaviour. A good range of positive incentives are used very regularly to help encourage this. Detailed records are kept which demonstrate clearly the positive response of young people living at the home to these. A range of agreed sanctions are also available and can be imposed if required. Reparation can be taken for any damage caused or misuse of agreed allowances. Restraints can also be used if ever necessary to help keep young people safe. All of the staff team receive accredited training in this to ensure that it would be used safely if ever needed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Regular risk assessments are completed for the building and the staff team use health and safety checklists to help ensure that the home is a safe place for young people to live. Routine checks are completed by staff both on the building and the safety equipment that might be needed in an emergency. However, some checks completed are not clearly recorded to help demonstrate that they are being completed at the recommended frequency. The staff team are trained and know what to do if there is an emergency and they practise this regularly with young people.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that fire logs demonstrate clearly that emergency lighting and fire fighting equipment have been tested at the recommended intervals. (NMS 26.8)

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