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

Unique reference number SC032701 Inspector Mark Broomhead Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council Registered person address South Tyneside Council, Town Hall Westoe Road SOUTH SHIELDS Tyne and Wear NE33 2RL Responsible individual Jill McGregor Registered manager Darren George Bird Date of last inspection 18/11/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 19/03/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

Risk taking behaviours among the young people who live in the home have reduced. Some young people are making progress towards their independence and are taking control of their own living areas, budgeting for themselves and preparing their own meals. Young people who have moved into the self-contained area of the home are still able to access the support provide by the staff but have the benefit of being able to have their own private time. This prepares them for moving out of care and into independent living.

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This inspection

The manager, staff and young people have worked hard to improve the feel of the home to make it feel less institutionalised. This has been very effective. There is an ongoing program of work which will radically transform the look of the home. Some of the changes will depend on whether funds are available but this has not stopped everyone making the changes that are within their control. The improvements made to the lounge and dining area give the home a fresh and modern appearance. Bedrooms are being redecorated once they have been vacated, which then allows others to move into the newly decorated rooms.

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This inspection

Young people are more relaxed in the home and, as a result, the incidents of risk taking behaviours and damage to the home has reduced. Staff and young people have developed their relationships and use key-worker sessions to discuss any concerns they have. Some young people continue to put their health at risk by smoking but a new smoking policy now makes it clear that young people cannot smoke in the home, reducing the risk of fire. Key-worker sessions are also used to promote good health and discuss services on offer to help young people reduce their reliance on cigarettes.

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This inspection

Nearly all young people are engaged in some sort of educational provision and some are seeking work or already have employment. This promotes their independence, 3 of 6 social development and self-confidence. Staff are working with education providers to ensure that young people are happy with what they are studying. Some young people are not clear what they want to achieve when they leave education and staff take action to ensure that as many options as possible are available to young people, giving them flexibility in their choices.

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This inspection

Staff attend the children’s reviews and make sure they record important information relevant to the care they provide. They use this information to update care plans and take immediate action. This is more effective than waiting for minutes of meetings to be sent to the home and ensures that changes are made quickly to ensure the care provided remains pertinent. Requirements raised at a previous inspection have been actioned and placement plans and care plans are up to date. The manager and staff have access to an online system which allows them to see up to date information easily. Plans are reviewed every three months and the independent visitor has been tasked to review that this takes place. New risks assessments are in place, implemented in January this year, which now shows risks to individual young people, the level of risk and the steps taken to reduce that risk.

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This inspection

The manager has introduced a more robust mechanism for considering referrals to the home. This allows for more detailed information to be gathered before a decision to admit is made. Individual young people’s needs are considered and escalation is made to the placement and service managers if the manager feels a placement is not appropriate. This also takes into account the impact a new admission may have on young people currently residing in the home. This is crucial to maintain the dynamics of the home and ensures that young people continue to enjoy living there.

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This inspection

The manager has implemented a new system for investigating and recording complaints made to the home. This is more effective as it is now computerised and no longer has a limit on how much information can be recorded. In addition, it allows for complainants to fully explain their grievance and, when they receive a formal outcome letter, an opportunity to challenge the outcome. This demonstrates a more robust system whereby young people can feel confident their concerns are appropriately dealt with.

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This inspection

Reports written by the independent visitor have been received on time since the last inspection. A recommendation has been made at this inspection in relation to the report prepared by the manager about the quality of the care being provided by the home. This is to ensure that the report fully captures the element required in Schedule 6 and that there is evaluative analysis that demonstrates how the quality of care is being improved. This does not have a direct impact on the welfare of young people.

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This inspection

In addition, one requirement has been raised at this inspection with regard to the visitors book. This should allow for visitors to record the reasons for their visit. This does not have a direct impact on the welfare of young people. 4 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to nine children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is provided by the local authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/11/2014 Full adequate 28/02/2014 Interim good progress 02/10/2013 Full good 15/11/2012 Interim good progress

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that records specified in Schedule 4 are maintained and kept up to date. In particular, that the book signed by visitors includes the reason for their visit. 02/04/2015

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home. This includes the quality of the home. In particular, that the report prepared under Regulation 34 fully incorporates all matters listed in Schedule 6 and provides an analysis of 5 of 6 the quality of the care being provided to demonstrate improvements. (NMS21.1) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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