Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes North East Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Unique reference number SC472795 Inspector Julie Rimington Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Artemis Support Limited Registered person address Amtech House Samson Close Killingworth Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 6DX Responsible individual Clare Lesley Coward Registered manager Donna Marie Delaney Date of last inspection 17/02/2015 2 of 5 Inspection date 24/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

The home was judged as overall good at the last inspection in February 2015. The judgement for young people’s outcomes was outstanding. There were three recommendations. All of which have been met. At this inspection, the home is judged to have improved effectiveness. There was no evidence of any breaches of Regulations or national minimum standards.

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This inspection

Outcomes for young people continue to be outstanding. The enthusiastic Registered Manager and staff team have a motivational approach to working with young people. This positive attitude assists young people to ‘achieve more’ in many aspects of their lives. The young people have made progress in education and employment. Some young people have passed examinations, which previously they were not expected to achieve. Some young people who were not going to school have done so and have started to plan activities that are more educational. The young people have improved their physical and emotional health. This is supported by a pro-active staff team who encourage physical activities and healthy diets, and specialist psychological services who work with the young people and the staff team.

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This inspection

There have been a number of young people moving into the home since the last inspection. These moves have been managed carefully. Young people who were living in the home have been provided with additional support to manage these changes. Those young people moving into the home have been given information to ensure they feel safe and comfortable. The staff team are very welcoming in their approach. One young person said he ‘felt good about coming into the home.’

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This inspection

Young people are supported to contribute to reviews and decisions about themselves. The Registered Manager and staff team ensure that their wishes and feelings are listened too and acted upon. Contact with families and important people 3 of 5 in their lives are extremely valuable to young people. The Registered Manager and staff team place significant emphasis on this and work hard to remove any barriers that may prevent this. Young people develop an understanding of their identity and some begin to see positive changes in the relationships they have with ‘their important people’.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager and staff team have addressed the three recommendations from the last inspection. This is exceptional given the short period of time. A protocol is now in place ensuring confidentiality in the office and physical changes to office space means that the Registered Manager and staff team can work with added security. The Registered Manager and senior management team have ensured that all staff are aware of their responsibilities and are delegated tasks. This means that members of the staff team can develop further knowledge and skills and have developed a collective responsibility to the running of the home. The Registered Manager and senior management team have found the changes to working practices beneficial as it has allowed them to focus on the specific task of management. A staff team member said ‘I love coming to work; I feel I can make a real difference.’ The young people benefit from living in a well-managed home. They

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This inspection

see positive role modelling and a positive attitude to responsibility. Their self-esteem and confidence are improved and they develop life skills.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager has also addressed the recommendation regarding internal and external monitoring. Monitoring continues to be robust, and a more reflective and evaluative approach is being used to ensure that both good and poor practice can be identified and evaluated. Reflective practice helps the Registered Manager and staff team develop a better understanding of the individual young people and helps them to be creative in the way they support them. This is reflected in the thorough care plans and risk assessments.

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This inspection

The reflective approach is also seen in the way the Registered Manager and staff team encourage young people to stay safe. Following the evaluation of return interviews and discussion with the young people, the number of episodes of young people going missing from home has reduced significantly, The use of online training to help the staff team and young people understand the risks and positives of using the internet has encouraged young people to stay safe. Young people said that the Registered Manager and staff team make the feel safe by ‘knowing me and understanding what I’m like’. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2015 Full good Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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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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