Children's home run by Interactive Development Support Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 The home’s statement of purpose is clearly written and regularly reviewed. It accurately reflects the service offered by the home and what living there is meant to achieve.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people’s attendance at education improves and they make progress. Staff are clear about what it is they want each young person to achieve, and are committed to helping them to improve their life chances.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding. Their knowledge and work practice help to keep young people safe. The number of times that young people go missing from home have been significantly reduced since they came to live here.  The home’s behaviour management programmes are individual to each young person. They are useful in helping them to develop socially acceptable behaviour and to manage their emotions in a positive manner. Staff prefer to use restorative techniques to help young people to understand the implications of their behaviour such as how it impacts on others, particularly when damage has been caused to the home.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people feel listened to. They are able to influence how the home is run and to suggest improvements to their overall care.

p.3

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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.4

Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for the child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires (Regulation 44(2)(b)). 16 September 2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33(4)(b)). 16 September 2016

p.4

Recommendations

The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangement in place to protect them. Specifically, to ensure that risks associated with the use of the Internet and social media are fully explored (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).

p.4

Recommendations

The registered person should ensure that children’s plans form the basis of their care. Specifically, that children are supported to understand fully the contents of their care plans and that care plans set specific targets for measuring achievements and progress (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 11.1).

p.4

Information about this children's home

The home is owned and run by an independent provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people aged 10 to 17 on admission with emotional/behavioural difficulties.

p.5

Good

Staff are warm, friendly and welcoming to visitors. They have a relaxed manner with the young people whom they look after, and they share good-humoured banter with them. This helps to create an overall atmosphere that is both pleasant and relaxed. Rooms are large, airy, very well decorated and exceptionally well furnished. This conveys to young people and visitors that staff take a pride in the home. One young person said, ‘I like it here. I feel comfortable and well looked after.’ Staff want young people to achieve their maximum potential and to keep themselves safe. They have a good understanding of their individual strengths and difficulties. Staff relate to them with genuine affection and concern for their welfare.

p.6

Good

Care plans are generally well written and provide sufficient information about the different needs of each young person in order for staff to meet their day-to-day needs. However, care plans are all written in the same general format. They do not take into account the different academic ability of each young person. This means that some young people may not fully understand what their placement at the home is meant to achieve. Additionally, some care plans do not set specific goals or targets for young people to achieve. This means that their progress may not be fully recorded or celebrated.

p.6

Good

Staff work very hard to engage young people, both formally and informally, in discussions about their care and how to keep themselves safe, particularly in relation to going missing. One member of staff said, ‘It is important that we really get to know the young people and build up a good rapport with them.’ Some young people respond positively to this, and the number of times that they go missing have been significantly reduced. Young people are spoken to by someone independent of the home when they return from being missing. When possible, information about the reasons for them going missing and where they have been is collected, and staff share this information with police.

p.6

Good

All young people attend education, employment or training. When mainstream education is not currently available, the home provides formal education on site. The registered manager and staff endeavour to improve the educational opportunities available to young people by liaising with the virtual head and specific headteachers. In addition, the home has been proactive in ensuring that young people attend formal training. For instance, one young person has recently completed health and safety training and been awarded a certificate of competence. Having this certificate will allow the young person to find paid employment in the construction industry. One young person said, ‘I’ve missed a lot of school, but here I’m getting back into the routine again. I’d like to go to a proper school and make new friends.’

p.6

Good

Staff and young people have a good relationship with each other and talk freely throughout the day. Staff maintain a warm, caring attitude, even when faced with young people who are verbally abusive and challenging in their attitude and presentation. One member of staff said, ‘We do care about the young people who we look after and want what’s best for them.’ More formal meetings between staff and young people are held every month. This allows young people to discuss the day-to-day running of the home, what changes they would like to make and what activities they would like to try. For instance, young people suggested that a shed is built in the garden for storing bicycles.

p.7

Good

Staff encourage all young people to eat a good, healthy diet, and healthy options are freely available each day. One young person said, ‘The food here is great.’ Young people also have the opportunity to become involved in different activities in the community such as hiking, camping, going to the cinema and out for meals. One member of staff said, ‘We offer plenty of different choices to young people, and they seem to appreciate it.’

p.7

Good

Young people are encouraged to develop daily living skills, for example by planning and preparing meals. They also learn to budget for themselves, to shop for personal items and to live within their means. This kind of practice builds confidence, and helps them to learn essential daily living skills.

p.7

Good

The registered manager fully considers the specific needs of each young person prior to them coming to live at the home. He discusses the referral with the staff team. It considers whether it can meet the young person’s needs and what impact the admission will have on the lives of the existing residents. This approach allows staff to write care plans for individual young people. Each care plan is underpinned by a risk assessment. However, the risk assessments do not clearly outline the risks that young people might face when they access the Internet or other social media. This means young people are potentially at risk of grooming and sexual exploitation. Regular reviews of care plans and risk assessments are carried out by staff, and are discussed in staff meetings and individual supervision sessions with the registered manager. This helps to ensure that young people make measureable progress, which in turn promotes their ongoing development and sense of

p.7

Good

achievement. One young person said, ’The manager and staff are great here. I know they’re trying to help me to move on with my life and to help me to speak up for myself. It’s a really lovely home.’ Young people say that they feel safe in the home and can talk to any of the staff. They know how to make a complaint if they are dissatisfied with anything. Young people also have access to a range of independent agencies, such as social workers and a psychologist, if they are concerned in any way with the care that they receive. One young person’s social worker said, ‘I have great confidence in the staff at this home. I would certainly place other young people here.’ When appropriate, staff support and encourage young people to spend time with their family members. Contact with family members is important in helping young people to make sense of their lives and to understand their backgrounds.

p.7

Good

Some young people who come to live at the home have a history of going missing and placing themselves at risk. Staff work with placing social workers, family members, the police and the young person themselves to change this behaviour. They have had some success in helping young people to make positive changes and reduce the number of occasions that they have been reported as missing. However, on occasion, some young people continue go missing. Staff are persistent in their efforts to help them to understand the risks that they face when they do go missing. They liaise with the appropriate agencies, review incentive plans and talk directly with the young person to try to find out the reasons for their behaviour. One member of staff said, ‘We won’t give up, because we know the risks associated with going missing.’ Young people who go missing are spoken to by someone independent of the home when they return. This helps to gather

p.8

Good

important information about the areas where they go and who they are with, which in turn helps staff or the police to locate them.

p.8

Good

Each young person has a clear behaviour plan in place which incorporates the use of sanctions to help to deal with negative behaviour, particularly repairing damage that they have caused or repaying money that they have misused. Staff prefer to use restorative techniques and positive consequences to promote good behaviour, such as incentive and reward schemes. These measures help young people to understand the consequences of their actions and the impact that their behaviour has on others.

p.8

Good

The physical environment is clean, exceptionally well maintained, safe and secure. Regular checks are carried out to avoid exposure to unnecessary risks. Young people confirm that they know what to do in the event of an emergency and have participated in practice fire drills. The registered manager follows safe recruitment practices to prevent unsuitable people working with young people.

p.8

Good

The home has clear policies and procedures in place for staff that support anti- discriminatory practice. The management team keeps up to date with current issues affecting vulnerable young people. These issues include policies and procedures relating to issues of radicalisation. Judgement grade

p.8

Good

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened in November 2015. He has the appropriate qualifications to be the registered manager of a children’s home. He also has lengthy experience of working with vulnerable children and young people who can display challenging behaviour and put themselves at risk. He is supported on a daily basis by a staff team that has the skills and experience necessary to undertake the jobs effectively.

p.9

Good

The management team and staff are fully committed to and focused on improving the quality of care provided in the home and the life chances of the young people whom they look after. Regular monitoring takes place by someone independent of the home, in addition to the internal monitoring carried out by the registered manager. However, the external visitor does not have the written permission of the placing authorities or the young people themselves to review individual case files. This means that the privacy of young people is not fully protected.

p.9

Good

Children and young people benefit from being looked after by a competent and enthusiastic staff team. All existing care staff have a minimum of a level 3 qualification or are undertaking an appropriate course of study. Training provided to staff is both good and child centred. Examples include the issues of safeguarding, child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. One member of staff said, ‘We regularly receive training.’

p.9

Good

The registered manager provides both formal and informal supervision to all staff, and his ‘open door’ policy promotes open discussion. One member of staff said, ‘I can go and talk to the manager anytime. He’s always willing to listen and offer help or advice.’ However, staff interactions with young people and their work practice are not formally observed by the registered manager in undertaking practice-related supervision. This means that opportunities to improve staff’s performance further may be missed. Staff meetings take place regularly, and one member of staff said, ‘Everyone’s views are considered in team meetings and staff have the chance to add to the meeting’s agenda. If we do not feel comfortable discussing ideas openly in the meeting, the manager is happy to discuss ideas whenever he has the chance.’

p.9

Good

The home has internal monitoring processes in place to help to drive continued improvements in the quality of the care provided. The reports produced as a result of these evaluate the information gathered. This helps to improve the overall quality of the service provided to young people.

p.9

Good

Managers monitor the progress that young people make, and there are systems in place to identify areas of development for each of them. This valuable information is incorporated into the formal review process and shared with social workers, independent reviewing officers and parents. Examples of the progress that some young people have made include successful completion of health and safety training, securing employment in the construction industry, increasing school attendance, reducing the number of occasions when they have been reported missing and reducing the amount that they smoke.

p.9

Good

The management team have excellent links with other agencies. One young person’s social worker said, ‘The home is very child centred and adaptable to the young person’s needs. I have been really impressed with how staff manage my young person and offer him the chance to develop positive relationships.’ Another social worker said, ‘Staff at the home pass on relevant information to other professionals, and they work well as part of a multi-agency team.’ When young people require specialist help, for instance support from a psychologist, the staff act quickly to ensure that they are able to access these services and that they are tailored to meet their specific needs.

p.10

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 the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

p.11

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.

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

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.

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

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.

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.11

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.

p.12

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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.12

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, work- based 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.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

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.13

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.13