Children's Home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have progressed from their starting point and have continued to flourish as a direct result of living at this children’s home. The quality of individualised care is good and children’s experiences are positive. Children are thriving and are achieving across all outcome areas. A child said, ‘Yes it’s good here, staff are mint. There’s lots to do and the staff look after you really well.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Positive relationships with staff enhance all aspects of children’s support and their development. A social worker said, ‘I think the home and manager have done a great job and my child has progressed. She is trusting of the staff and there is no negativity. The manager and staff have given my child consistency and stability.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have formed trusting bonds that have significantly increased their self- esteem and feelings of positive self-worth. Staff adopt a nurturing approach and fully understand that children need lots of reassurance and emotional support. A child said, ‘What I like about it here is the staff. I can talk to all staff, they are funny and make me laugh. I trust them all and they give me hugs when I am sad. They care about us.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are happy, healthy and their educational outcomes are good. They have access to the primary health services they need and have additional healthcare support from the looked after children nurse. The have a very healthy diet and lots of exercise and outdoors activities to keep them fit.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children also have direct support from the local authority therapy team which focuses on each child’s emotional and psychological well-being. This holistic model of care demonstrates good inter-agency partnership working and promotes children’s positive growth and development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both children are doing very well at school. A social worker said, ‘My child has really progressed. Her education has improved drastically, she has come on leaps and bounds.’ Staff see education as very important and this ethos is an integral part of their practice. Relationships with schools and teachers are good and have impacted positively on children’s attendance and their academic achievements. The registered manager said, ‘It can be hard getting the girls to school but they are doing so well and I am very proud of them. We speak with their teachers most days to check they are okay and if there are any problems we talk about how best to support each child. This works very well.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are and feel safe. Comments from children include, ‘I think this is a safe place to live’ and, ‘Yes of course I’m safe’. Staff are attuned to children’s needs and vulnerabilities and take a vigilant stance in keeping them safe. A staff member said, ‘You have to constantly stay with the girls, they are very vulnerable. They should have friends but they sometimes pick the wrong friends so I constantly check on them. Both girls are intelligent and love learning. We spend a lot of time teaching them to stay safe and how to have appropriate relationships.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour is managed positively and in a caring, nurturing way. The registered manager and staff team have a very good understanding about how past experiences can manifest in difficult behaviours, and take this into account when children are showing signs of distress. A staff member said, ‘It can be difficult for the girls at times. They respond better to nurturing, not sanctions. We use talking and negotiation and get a better response, or, we make a game of things like getting ready for bed, which is a difficult time for them. We respect them and ask rather than tell them things. They are lovely girls and they are doing really well.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Physical interventions are occasionally used to manage behaviour but these are very low-level measures such as guiding children away from each other when tensions are evident or standing between them if arguments look like they may escalate into a physical altercation. This approach ensures children are handled safely and they are treated with dignity. There has been one physical restraint since the last inspection. This was fully reviewed by the registered manager to ensure a proportional approach was taken by the staff on duty.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leadership and management outcomes are mixed. There are many strengths but shortfalls in staffing arrangements and staffing adequacy have impacted on the judgement for this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The main strength of the home is the registered manager and staff team. They are highly motivated, and committed, and work over and above to ensure children receive the best possible outcomes. A social worker said, ‘The manager leads admirably and the staff team are very good. They maintain stability and this has impacted positively on my child. She has really progressed and has had very good experiences living here. Overall, this is a very good home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff feel very well supported, listened to and valued. A staff member said, ‘We are a good staff team, supportive, and the manager involves us all. We can talk to her about anything and she is a very hands on manager.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff receive regular supervision and the training they need to meet the needs of the children. The home has progressed by meeting a requirement and recommendation from the last inspection by staff receiving training in relation to attachment theories. Additional training in relation to attachment and trauma in children is booked to further extend staff’s underpinning knowledge. This will develop their skills and enhance their day to day practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring is very good and the registered manager’s six monthly monitoring report, which is supplied to Ofsted, is very well written and clearly sets out how it is for children living at the home. Consultation with children, their parents and social workers is good and their views, wishes and opinions are fully taken into account. This includes children and significant others in how care is delivered and the home’s operation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Shortfalls in staffing have, in some instances, impacted negatively on children. The home have historically operated single staff cover but staffing levels increased to double cover when the two current children were accommodated last year. No new staff were recruited to increase the staffing complement. As a result, regular staff and the registered manager have worked additional hours over a sustained period. Although this is commendable, staff report they feel tired and overworked. A staff member said, ‘Overall everything is good but staff shortages are difficult. We feel tired and overworked, and we can’t get our paperwork and other jobs done’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has also been a significant reliance on the use of casual staff and staff from other children’s homes to cover shortfalls. This interrupts consistency and continuity and disrupts children’s attachments. Additionally, the post for a senior residential worker has not been filled since the previous senior left last June. This has impacted on the registered manager who has taken on all managerial responsibilities alongside working directly with the children to cover staffing shortfalls.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, one requirement and one recommendation were raised. Both of these had been met at the time of this inspection. One recommendation to improve practice has been raised at this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/02/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person should ensure the home employs enough suitably trained staff to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home. Staffing levels, comprised of regular staff, should be planned to ensure children's attachments are not overly disturbed to promote continuity of care from the child's perspective. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 51 paragraph 10.1 and page 54 paragraph 10.15)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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