Children's Home run by Northumberland County Council in Northumberland

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Relationships between young people and staff, and with each other, are excellent. Young people report that the atmosphere within the home is like that of a family. All the young people recently went on holiday to Disneyland in Florida, an exceptionally rewarding experience.  Young people make outstanding progress in education, not just in relation to their starting points but also compare favourably with other school pupils of the same age. Staff are skilled in helping young people to develop their confidence and enhance their self-belief.  Care plans are based on young people’s needs and rooted in theory and research, ensuring that targets for young people’s development are relevant and achievable. Individual work with young people is of a high standard, helping them to make positive changes in how they view the world and their place in it.  The home is extremely effective in protecting young people while enabling

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

them to take appropriate risks as they mature. Staff promote young people’s engagement in the local community and strive to normalise the experience of being in care.  The home is outstandingly well-managed. The leadership team is committed to continuous improvement and innovation. Sophisticated monitoring systems enable senior staff to identify where young people may need additional support. Staff are passionate about their work, eager to help young people develop resilience and realise their potential.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the home provides a domestic and homely environment, specifically that children are not required to sign for pocket money. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this children's home

The home accommodates up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

outstanding

This is the home’s first full inspection since it was registered in January 2015. Young people and staff moved into these converted premises from a long- established home on the outskirts of the town. The building is a substantial improvement on the old, having been refurbished to an extremely high specification. It provides greater privacy for young people (each bedroom having its own en-suite) and is much more convenient for local services. One young person said, ‘It’s great here, much better than the old home.’

p.6

outstanding

Staff provide a high standard of care. Placement plans are closely tailored to each young person’s needs and circumstances. These are linked to relevant theories and research in areas including child development, attachment, and the impact of early life experiences on young people’s development. This helps staff to understand the challenges that young people face and devise programmes of care which help them to make progress. Staff set young people objectives and targets, which are realistic but challenging. They discuss these in individual sessions, some of which are planned. Others take place as the opportunity arises and are recorded later. Young people are fully involved in talking about their strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and celebrating their successes. This detailed, systematic approach to care planning is key to the significant progress which all young people have made. Relationships between staff and young people are warm and affectionate. A social

p.6

outstanding

worker said of a young person, ‘I feel that they have a really good understanding that the staff are there for them no matter what.’ The home has the feel of a family group, usually harmonious but with occasional squabbles such as take place between brothers and sisters. Staff address any issues with young people at the time they arise, and sort out difficulties without fuss. A member of staff said, ‘We like to talk through issues, deal with them, and move on. We encourage young people to devise their own solutions to problems.’ During the inspection, one young person threatened not to go to school that day because of a small issue with their uniform. The member of staff reinforced the position calmly yet firmly and the issue was resolved. Mealtimes are pleasant and sociable affairs. They take place in the spacious kitchen/dining room, enabling staff and young people to relax and chat as they eat or prepare meals of their choice. One young person was observed

p.6

outstanding

preparing a Spanish omelette very skilfully with little input from staff. Young people make outstanding progress in education. Attendance is 100%, and attainment is also excellent. One young person has attended an access to university course, and is on track to achieve good GCSEs. Another was out of education six months ago, following a lifetime of disrupted schooling. They are now in full time school and achieved pupil of the year, and are to be entered for exams. Young people are in good health. The home is well-supported by educational psychology and child adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). As a result, some young people have benefited from targeted work such as anger management.

p.6

outstanding

Regular meetings enable young people to have formal discussion with staff about what is going on in the home and ways to improve it. In addition, the constant easy chat and dialogue between young people and staff means that views and opinions are shared and exchanged. Planning records also indicate the level of input that young people have in their day-to-day lives and their hopes for the future. A recently-developed tool is titled ‘Looking Forward’. This document is used in one-to-one discussion where the young person rates their strengths and needs and, with the help of the adult, plans strategies to achieve success. These could be as simple as becoming confident in using public transport, or more complex such as exploring the best route into joining the army.

p.7

outstanding

Young people take part in a wide range of activities. One is a member of a local rugby club and has recently taken up the sport of wrestling, another enjoys basketball. Others spend time with their friends in the local community, or with each other playing console games. After-school clubs also feature in the young people’s lives, with the added benefit of building on the friendships they make at school. Of particular note is the recent holiday to Disneyland in Florida. Young people and staff raised the bulk of the finance themselves (in itself, a valuable life lesson in financial responsibility). This was an incredible experience for the young people, most of whom had never flown before or visited another country. Just being in close contact with staff over a period of time in a completely alien location also helped to cement relationships. It also resulted in some young people sharing with staff their innermost feelings, hopes and anxieties, some of which they had

p.7

outstanding

never been able to discuss before. Apart from the formal planning around preparation for independence, staff continually reinforce young people’s rights and responsibilities in making informed decisions. They help young people to reach their own conclusions about how to tackle an issue. This might be as simple as planning a bus journey, with details like the young person asking the driver for the ticket to build their confidence. Staff also help young people in becoming aware of the needs of others in society less fortunate than themselves. Young people have taken part in charity fund-raising events, the most recent being a 24-hour cycle marathon which raised £400. Judgement grade

p.7

outstanding

Staff have a deep and thorough understanding of each young person’s needs and vulnerabilities. This means that specific risks to each young person’s safety can be assessed and managed. These risk assessments are reviewed and updated as circumstances change and the young person matures. In keeping with the overall ethos of the home, staff give young people as much freedom as possible to make their own choices about what they do and where they go. Young people appreciate the freedom they are given and respond accordingly. One social worker said, ‘The home is helping the young person to develop their self-reliance. This gets them out and about in the community, promoting their independence.’ Another said, ‘Because of the immaturity of the young person, they are sometimes not good at making safe choices. Staff are excellent at sitting the young person down, talking about risks and how they can be managed, but at the same time supporting the

p.8

outstanding

young person to make their own decisions.’ Risky behaviour, like the use of substances, has been an issue for a minority of young people. Staff have been proactive in enlisting the support of specialist services as well as spending time talking with young people about the potential risks. As with the general approach in the home, these discussions with young people are not so much about telling them what to do, but giving them the right information so they can make an informed choice. As a result of this support, these incidents have reduced markedly, improving the safety and well-being of young people. Much work is done with young people to help them understand where threats to their safety may come from. For example, the home’s e-safety policy is augmented with a range of information for young people which staff discuss with them in key worker sessions. The home is equipped with Wi-Fi which young people can use

p.8

outstanding

with their consoles and mobiles. Certain sites, including social media, are blocked, which has caused some disgruntlement with young people. Young people have been told that they will be able to use these sites if they lodge their log-in details confidentially with staff. This is so that if there was a safeguarding issue, staff could access their account and use any information to keep them safe. Young people have chosen not to do this, but it is an appropriate approach to the issue which reflects the home’s priority in protecting young people. There have been no incidents where young people have gone missing since the home was registered. However, the planning around each young person should it happen is robust. It describes potential triggers, where the young person might go, and what staff must do to locate them. The protocol with the police for managing such situations is also clear. Staff set clear expectations for young people about how they should behave. These

p.8

outstanding

are based upon mutual respect and consideration of the needs of others. Boundaries for what is acceptable are well-understood by young people and almost always respected. Any unacceptable behaviour is more often than not dealt with by a quiet word from staff. For more serious incidents, staff may use sanctions. Staff discuss them fully with the young person and also evaluate their effectiveness thoughtfully. For example, one young person was given a financial penalty for wasting food. This same behaviour occurred again shortly afterwards, so staff decided to use a different sanction which was completely effective. The need to use physical restraint to manage unsafe situations has declined markedly over time. Staff are fully trained in the use of techniques to hold young people as well as strategies in avoiding its use in the first place. Whenever such an incident occurs, senior staff help the members of staff involved to reflect on what

p.9

outstanding

happened and identify any learning points.

p.9

outstanding

The home’s leadership is strong, and clearly focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for young people. The Registered Manager is highly experienced and suitably qualified for the role. In addition, he is a registered social worker whose knowledge of social work theory has been important in developing the home’s ethos and working practice. Other senior staff within the home have a range of social work and management qualifications, enhancing the quality of support they are able to offer staff. The staff team as a whole is very experienced and stable. This provides consistency and a high level of expertise to the young people.

p.9

outstanding

The Registered Manager has developed some exceptionally useful tools to monitor the progress of young people. They plot the timeline for each young person’s stay in the home (and their previous life) and identify critical events which influence their behaviour and outcomes. These can be cross-referenced with those for other young people to identify how dynamics within the group impact on individual progress. This information is shared with each young person so that they can understand how life events shape their development. It also enables them to have greater control over the resultant impact, and identifies where they may need additional support which can then be put in place.

p.9

outstanding

Staff receive excellent support in the task of caring for the young people. Supervision happens regularly and is robustly focused on the young people and how their welfare and safety can be promoted as effectively as possible. The training programme for staff is comprehensive. Additional training is commissioned to address specific topics. For example, a training event was being held on the second day of the inspection, presented by the provider’s educational psychologist. This covered issues such as child development, attachment, and the impact of neglect, which are referenced in young people’s care plans. The Registered Manager used the home’s resources to buy each member of staff a text book which they were required to read in advance of the training. This illustrates how staff are expected to be accountable for their own learning and development so that they can provide a better service for young

p.9

outstanding

people. Monitoring of the home is robust. Arrangements for the independent visitor have just been revised to improve the quality of reporting. The Registered Manager’s internal review of performance is thorough, and includes an improvement plan covering the ensuing six months. The management team has successfully created an ethos which respects young people and makes their experience of living here as near to family life as possible. It would be consistent with this ethos and further improve young people’s quality of life for some institutional practices to be reviewed. For example, young people are currently required to sign for their weekly pocket money.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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