Children's Home run by Newcastle City Council in Newcastle upon Tyne

Unique reference number SC033642 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Newcastle City Council Registered person address Newcastle upon Tyne City Council PO Box 690 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE99 2BN Responsible individual Michael McCracken Registered manager Colin Alfred Beales Date of last inspection 07/01/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 02/12/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness outstanding

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding Quality of care outstanding Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management outstanding

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides clear boundaries, structure and a daily routine for young people. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff actively support and encourage young people to have a voice in how they are cared for. This helps to improve their self- confidence and their self-esteem. The rights of young people are consistently promoted by staff who robustly advocate on their behalf. As a result, young people are supported to attend full-time education and have both realistic and achievable career aspirations. This helps to reduce their social exclusion, enables them to make the most of their potential and improve their life chances.

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Overall effectiveness

There is a very warm, caring feeling within the home. Staff are consistently focused on the welfare and safety of young people. Young people are fully aware that staff genuinely care about them. Relationships between staff and young people are meaningful and based on mutual respect.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are fully aware of each young person’s individual care needs and how they will be met. The objectives of each young person’s placement are clearly recorded and fully understood by the staff team. Staff vigorously advocate for young people and ensure that all partner agencies work together to meet their needs. As a result, outcomes for young people are outstanding. 3 of 9 Policies and practices within the home keep young people safe from harm. The attentiveness of staff and their positive working relationships with police and other agencies contribute effectively to the overall level of safety young people have. One young person said, ‘I love it here. I know the staff care about me and I’m grateful for what they do.’ Another young person said, ‘I receive more support than I ever expected from the staff. It’s a lovely place to live.’

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Overall effectiveness

The home is managed to an excellent standard. No requirements or recommendations have been raised as a result of this inspection. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides accommodation for up to six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is provided by a local authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2014 Interim good progress 31/07/2013 Full good 30/01/2013 Interim good progress 29/08/2012 Full good 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

All young people living at the home have complex needs and have often been admitted when they are in crisis. Consequently, their relationships with their parents, friends and relatives are often fragile. However, where it is appropriate and safe, staff work tirelessly to help young people begin to restore positive relationships with those who are important to them. This helps them to gain an insight into their background and how to better manage their relationships with others.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people’s physical and emotional health also improves while they are at the home. All have access to primary health care services and any specialist support they require. Young people are actively supported to manage their own health care appointments. Young people receive any medical help they need and are helped to accept treatment they may have refused or been unable to access previously. One member of staff said, ‘Getting young people to see the dentist is usually the hardest thing to achieve, but we keep on trying and we usually succeed in the end.’

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

In addition, young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal care and to develop daily living skills. The home has a structured programme in place to help young people learn some of the skills they will need for independent living. They have the opportunity to gain experience of practical household tasks as well as an understanding of what makes for a satisfying lifestyle.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in their education. The majority attend regularly and their attendance is consistently very high. Some young people attend alternative education provision, such as a pupil referral unit. However, staff work very hard to help those young people reintegrate back into mainstream education provision. Additionally, some young people attend college or are undertaking an apprenticeship. Staff consistently encourages young people to achieve. Success at all levels, is rewarded. As a result, young people’s motivation to succeed improves considerably while they live at the home with many having career aspirations for the future. The self-confidence and self-esteem of young people increases and they become more emotionally resilient.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home’s manager and staff develop strong, caring relationships with the young people living at the home. These relationships are based upon an open and honest dialogue and a mutual respect. One young person said, ‘Staff listen to me and my views. They try to make a difference.’ The staff team are all child focused and work extremely hard to understand young people, their often complex needs, their 6 of 9 strengths and the difficulties they face. This understanding is supported and enhanced by working in partnership with young people, social workers, health care staff and education providers. This in turn helps to promote positive relationships and, as a consequence, young people enjoy spending time with the staff team. One young person said ,’The staff are the best and I hope they don’t change.’

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff talk with young people about their lives, their experiences and the care they receive on a frequent basis. One young person said, ’The staff listen to me and take my views into consideration.’ Young people know how to voice their concerns or anxieties about the home and the service they receive. This includes how to make a formal complaint. When children do raise concerns, these are treated seriously and responded to promptly. Young people know that staff listen to them and want them to be safe and happy.

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Quality of care outstanding

Care planning in the home is very good and very thorough. Young people’s individual needs are clearly identified and are well monitored. Care plans set out young people’s individual needs and the care provided is in line with these plans. For example, a great deal of work is done to help young people develop their own sense of self- esteem and self-worth. Care planning in the home is overseen by the manager, individual key-workers and the staff team. Regular reviews are undertaken to help ensure any changing needs are quickly identified. This means that services are adapted in a timely fashion to ensure the needs of young people are continually met.

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Quality of care outstanding

Team meetings are held at frequent intervals and always include discussions about each young person. Strategies are developed for encouraging positive behaviour and to minimise risks. One member of staff said, ‘We have regular team meetings and daily hand overs. This helps us to analyse poor practice and to work toward helping young people meet their full potential.’

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Quality of care outstanding

Additionally and where appropriate, staff work positively and proactively with the parents, friends and relatives of young people and develop positive working relationships with them. For instance, parents are invited into the home to help young people decorate and personalise their bedrooms . This improves the quality of the relationships between staff, parents and young people. Additionally, this helps young people to maintain and improve important family and cultural links.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home provides young people with excellent support for their health. Young people’s emotional and physical health is a key component of their care plans and the care delivered promotes young people’s improved health. Young people are registered with all primary health care services and are encouraged to attend for check-ups and treatment. Staff use their excellent working relationships with young people to encourage and persuade them to access services or treatment they have not taken up before, such as the dentist.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home provides young people with excellent support for their education. Staff are fully committed and dedicated in encouraging young people to attend school, work 7 of 9 hard and have high aspirations for their future. Some young people who attend alternatives to mainstream education, such as a pupil referral unit, are supported and encouraged to modify their behaviour and to move back into mainstream education. The support, encouragement and commitment of staff enables them to achieve this. In addition, staff assist young people who have completed their formal education, to enrol onto appropriate college courses and to seek employment. This supports young people's aspirations and helps them to achieve their maximum potential.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home has a structured programme in place to help young people learn activities for daily living and to promote their independence. Young people who are old enough have a pathway plan in place to aid their transition into adulthood. This means that they are aware of what help and support they can expect as they get older and will make a successful transition into adulthood.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home’s premises are well-maintained, homely and comfortable. Any repairs necessary are undertaken promptly which helps to maintain the positive environment for the young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people feel safe here. They know that staff have their welfare at heart and do all they can to protect them inside and outside the home. Expectations and boundaries are made clear to young people from the time they are admitted to the home. Observation showed staff are proactive and calm in their responses to young people who display negative behaviour and who may put themselves at risk. This means that overall the atmosphere in the home remains calm and that the needs of other children and young people are not overlooked.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The home has an excellent relationship with local community police who visit the home occasionally to talk to young people about the dangers of being out without staff knowing where they are. Additionally, staff do direct work with young people, both individually and as a group, helping them to understand the risks of going missing. This kind of activity has been instrumental in reducing the number of missing episodes significantly.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff use their excellent understanding and knowledge of the young people, to work proactively with them and to prevent or reduce negative behaviour. One member of staff said, ‘We all try to fully understand each young person. We discuss them at every staff meeting and we have really good handovers at the end of each shift.’ A young person said, ‘The staff don’t restrain us, they really have no need to.’ The positive relationship that exists between young people and staff helps to improve young people’s behaviour. Care provision in the home is individualised. A member of staff said, ‘All young people are treated differently because they are all individuals.’ Staffing levels allow for one-to-one work with young people. This helps them to understand and manage their own feelings and behaviour. Incentives and praise are 8 of 9 frequently used to reinforce positive behaviour.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The process of selecting staff and checking their suitability is extremely robust, and the Registered Manager keeps a record of their vetting checks within the home. This provides assurance that no employees can pose a threat to young people. In addition, the building itself is maintained in a safe condition, with all necessary checks on equipment carried out at prescribed intervals. This attention to detail keeps everyone living or working in the home very safe.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The Registered Manager has been registered since December 2008. He has the appropriate qualifications to be the Registered Manager of a children’s home. At the last interim inspection in January 2014 the home was judged to be making good progress. At that inspection no requirements or recommendations were raised.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The home is managed highly effectively. The Registered Manager and his deputies lead the staff team decisively and ensure that the focus of work is always on the needs of young people. Staff are effectively timetabled within the home to make sure that there are enough adults on duty to meet the needs of young people at all times. All staff are qualified or are working toward achieving the relevant qualifications. All staff are dedicated to improving the life chances of young people. They are passionate about their work, highly motivated and have access to a comprehensive range of training which further enhances their ability to provide the very best service to young people. Comments made by staff members include, ‘My work is appreciated and I’m encouraged to bring new ideas to team meetings about how we can resolve issues.’ and ‘My manager fully supports me and the rest of the team. We all appreciate this and we’re fully motivated to keep improving.’

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Leadership and management outstanding

The Registered Manager is thorough and systematic in monitoring the quality of the service provided by the home and the outcomes it achieves. This, coupled with the home’s development plan, enables the home to improve any shortfalls in practice and build on existing strengths in a clear and systematic manner. Regular monitoring of work practice and staff performance by the Registered Manager and his deputies is instrumental in improving the educational outcomes of young people and in reducing the number of times they may go missing. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management outstanding

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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