Children's home run by North Tyneside Council in North Tyneside

requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

because:

▪ The home‟s statement of purpose does not accurately reflect the age range of the young people living there. ▪ The home is accommodating a number of young people that have reached adulthood. There are no detailed plans in place to show when or how these youngsters can be supported to move on from the home and into adult services. ▪ The registered manager has not completed a risk assessment in relation to the young adults living at the home and the impact that could have on the young people also residing there. ▪ There are general signs of wear and tear throughout the building that detracts from the homely environment staff endeavour to provide. This has been raised previously as both a recommendation and a requirement. ▪ Young people‟s care plans are written in a standard format. They do not take into consideration the different levels of ability or understanding of the young people themselves.

p.3

The children's home strengths

▪ Young people can display negative and aggressive behaviour that sometimes results in physical injury to members of staff or damage within the home. Despite this, staff continue to care about the children and young people they look after. They provide them with a warm, caring and supportive environment that enables them to stay healthy, enjoy new experiences and to participate in activities which would otherwise be denied to them. ▪ Parents are very happy and confident that their children are well cared for and kept safe. They speak extremely highly of the staff and are especially pleased with the positive relationships that exist between them. ▪ Staff have excellent working relationships with headteachers and health care professionals. This ensures that information about the educational progress and health care needs of each child or young person are shared quickly and that all those people working with the children and young people are doing so in a

p.4

The children's home strengths

coordinated fashion. Additionally, the positive working relationship that exists between the home and schools helps to maintain young people in education. ▪ The home is well managed. The registered manager provides clear and consistent leadership to an experienced and dedicated staff team. Staff are well supported and work in an organised fashion. They have a strong focus on the individual needs of young people and work hard to meet those needs. ▪ Staff meetings are held frequently and the individual care needs of each young person are discussed. Staff share their expertise and knowledge of each young person and improvements to the care provided are made.

p.4

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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.5

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to the standard and quality of the home‟s decoration and fixtures the registered person must ensure that:

p.5

Requirement Due date

2(c) (i) the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child 01/06/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to the risk management of young adults living in a children‟s home, the registered person must ensure that staff:

p.5

Requirement Due date

2(b) ensure that the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm 01/06/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1 (3) (b). Specifically, that the statement of purpose accurately reflects the age range of the children and young people accommodated in the home (Regulation 16 (1) 01/06/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which includes information and documents listed in Schedule 3 (19). Specifically, that each child has a comprehensive and detailed transition plan in place to support their move into adulthood. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 01/06/2015

p.5

Recommendations

 Ensure children are encouraged by staff to see the home‟s records as „living documents‟ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. Specifically, that they can understand their care plans and contribute toward their content. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 58 ,paragraph 11.19)

p.6

Information about this children's home

The home is run by North Tyneside Council and provides care and accommodation for up to 4 children and young people with learning disabilities.

p.7

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.7

Recent inspection history

22/10/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.7

Recent inspection history

18/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.7

requires improvement

The individual bedrooms of young people are clean, appropriately furnished and decorated in a style of their own choosing. For instance, with football posters and soft toys. This helps young people to feel comfortable and at home. However, the communal areas of the home show signs of general wear and tear. Kitchen cupboard doors are ill fitting, draw fronts are peeling and the ceiling is stained. In addition, repairs to walls have not been painted over leaving dried plasterwork showing. The general wear and tear in the home has been raised at two previous inspections and despite the best efforts of staff to keep the home presentable, the local authority is yet to carry out more major pieces of work. This conveys to young people and visitors that the local authority does not take pride in the home.

p.8

requires improvement

Some children and young people can be aggressive toward staff. This is particularly the case when they are frustrated or anxious about something and are unable to express their feelings verbally. Despite this, staff accept the young people for who they are, with a warm smile, a friendly demeanour and understanding. They do not display any animosity toward them or hold a grudge against them. This helps to create a friendly environment where young people can relax, feel comfortable and feel safe. One member of staff said, „I‟ve been bitten quite badly by one young person but I know they didn‟t mean it. We just get on with things and put it behind us. I still love working here.‟

p.8

requires improvement

Young people that live in the home have complex needs and some challenging behaviour. Staff provide high levels of supervision and support often on a 1:1 or 2:1 basis. High staffing ratio‟s enable young people to participate in a range of activities that provide stimulation and enjoyment. For example, trips to the beach, country walks or trips to the local shops. Care plans that support this are generally well written. They set out what the home intends to achieve for each young person and how they will do it. However, the care plans are written in one standard format. They do not take into account the different levels of ability of each young person or their ability to understand the written word. Writing care plans in a manner suitable for each young person helps to ensure they are more involved in the care planning process.

p.8

requires improvement

Staff liaise regularly with teaching staff to discuss the individual support needs of young people. They also provide regular transport, physical assistance and on- going encouragement. This helps to maintain them in education, to achieve consistently high attendance levels and to make progress in their learning. Young people are supported to achieve their maximum potential. Young people are in good health. During initial referral meetings their health care needs are discussed fully and any specific areas of concern are highlighted. The registered manager ensures that staff have the necessary skills and confidence to meet their identified health care needs and promote their well-being. Young people are dependent on staff to ensure they remain fit and well. Staff are resolute in encouraging and supporting young people to attend all appointments, for example with the consultant psychiatrist or the community nurse. The parent of one young

p.8

requires improvement

person said, „I am totally satisfied that my child is well looked after. If I wasn‟t I‟d have moved him ages ago.‟ In addition, staff promote healthy eating. Young people are encouraged to eat a balanced diet and different options are available each day to support this.

p.9

requires improvement

Staff hold regular meetings with young people both in group situations and on a 1:1 basis. During these meetings staff discuss the day-to-day running of the home with them and, within the limits of their capabilities, they are fully involved in this process. They are encouraged to give their views and opinions and to make informed choices. For instance, they are involved in helping to choose what activities they‟d like to try and what food they‟d like to eat. In addition, staff have held discussions with young people in relation to discrimination and how it might affect them.

p.9

requires improvement

Where necessary the home supports contact between young people and those who are important to them. The parent of one young person said, „Staff are good at helping with contact and nothing is ever too much trouble.‟ Staff are confident and skilled at manging these situations which helps to make contact a positive and enjoyable experience for all concerned.

p.9

good

Staffing levels within the home are high in order to provide each young person with a degree of supervision and support they need to keep them safe. No young people have been absent without authority or missing from the home and there are clear policies and procedures in place should this happen.

p.9

good

The home has detailed behaviour management plans in place for each young person. Staff are experienced and competent in looking after young people with diverse, complex needs and who present challenging behaviour. They know and understand the individual behaviours of each young person well. This enables them to work in a consistent manner in dealing with any negative or challenging behaviour. In addition, all staff have training in behaviour management and safe holding techniques. This focusses on preventing challenging behaviour in the first instance, and equips staff with the skills they need to manage the occasional aggressive incident both effectively and safely. Physical restraint is only occasionally necessary. Each time restraint is used, the young person has, within the limits of their capabilities, the opportunity to give their views which are written in the record. Additionally, staff are debriefed by the manager, ensuring that they

p.9

good

can reflect on what happened and identify whether the situation could have been handled differently.

p.10

good

The format for assessing the potential risks for each young person is clear and concise. It is easy for staff to follow, takes account of the young person‟s particular vulnerabilities, and sets out the day-to-day management by staff which minimises threats to young people. This approach is particularly important for young people whose behaviour is unpredictable and which can provoke hostile reactions when out in the community. A number of young people living at the home have reached adulthood and remain at the home. The registered manager has not assessed the risks associated with young adults living there and the impact that this could have on children. However, the impact of this shortfall is minimised as the children and young people have lived together for a number of years.

p.10

good

There have been no new appointments at the home since the last inspection. However, the home does follow safe recruitment and selection practices and new staff follow a thorough period of induction. Following robust recruitment procedures helps to keep young people safe from abuse or exploitation and providing new staff with a thorough period of induction helps them to feel supported.

p.10

good

Staff try hard to make the home as comfortable as possible. They do this by using pictures and photographs of young people enjoying themselves to decorate the walls. Regular health and safety checks are also carried out and staff receive regular training in fire safety. Staff involve young people in fire safety procedures to ensure they know, within the limits of their capabilities, what to do in the event of a fire.

p.10

requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post since September 2015. He is a qualified social worker and has undertaken some management training. He is in the process of mapping the content of his social work and management qualifications against the new Level 5 qualification to demonstrate where they meet the requirements of the Level 5 diploma. He also has lengthy experience of working with children and young people who have complex, diverse and challenging needs. The home has a stable and competent staff team that is committed to ensuring consistency of care for all young people. Shift patterns are effectively planned and there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of all the young people living at the home. A parent of one young person said, „The staff team is excellent and I can‟t fault their commitment.‟ The majority of staff are qualified to a minimum Level 3 qualification. The home has good plans in place to ensure continuity of care in the

p.10

requires improvement

event of staff sickness or absence. Ongoing training is good. The focus is on providing staff with the skills and competencies to work with the complex and diverse needs of the children and young people. This includes training in specific conditions such as, autistic spectrum disorders and epilepsy.

p.11

requires improvement

Staff receive regular formal supervision. One member of staff said, „I think the support I get is really good. The manager is there when I need him. He lets me get on with my job but I know his door is always open if I need to talk to him about anything.‟ In addition, regular staff meetings are held. The meetings are used positively to discuss the individual needs of young people and to share new ideas about how best to help them improve and develop further.

p.11

requires improvement

Independent monitoring visits occur each month. The report template used to record these visits has recently been reviewed and amended. Reports are both clear and concise. The reviewing officers speak with staff, children and young people and, where appropriate their families. The reports are helpful in assisting the home to continue making progress. In addition, the internal monitoring of the home is suitable. The manager discusses the running of the home with children and young people, their parents and other professionals about the service it delivers. Information gathered during this process is used to help improve the quality of the care delivered.

p.11

requires improvement

Some young people living at the home have reached adulthood and, despite the best efforts of the registered manager, they have no detailed transition plans in place to aid their move into adult services. The parent of one young person said, „I‟ve attended many meetings about my child‟s future and still there are no firm plans in place. I was led to believe everything was progressing well and it‟s just unbelievable what‟s happening. The staff at the home are marvellous and they couldn‟t have done anymore.‟ A parent of another young person said, „I can‟t praise the staff highly enough for what they are doing but I‟m appalled that there are still no plans in place.‟ The lack of planning for transition means that the home has young adults living there alongside children and there is no timeframe in place to progress their move on into adult services.

p.11

requires improvement

The home‟s Statement of Purpose is clear and well written. It describes the child- focussed service provided by the home. However, the Statement of Purpose states that children can only live there until they are seventeen years old. However, several young people are now aged eighteen and have reached adulthood. The home is therefore operating outside of its Statement of Purpose.

p.11

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.

p.12

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

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.12

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

p.13

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 .

p.13

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,

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

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

p.14