Children's Home run by Spark of Genius North East LLP in Stockton-on-Tees

Good

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

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff understand how to develop nurturing, positive relationships with children and young people.  Education is well supported and staff are aspirational for children and young people’s achievements.  The staff encourage young people to take responsibility for their own health. Support is offered where necessary to attend appointments.  Behaviour management is dealt with in a planned and consistent manner.  Staff and the management team understand the importance of including children and young people in the planning of their care.  Recruitment processes are robust.  The management team shows great commitment to improving the lives of children and young people. One of the ways that they do this is by the support that they give the staff team to improve in confidence in the face of continued complaints from the neighbourhood.  The manager and staff have positive, effective relationships with other

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

professionals who support children and young people.  Care plans and risk assessments that demonstrate individualised support are offered to children and young people and information is regularly reviewed and updated.  Contact with family and friends is recognised as important to children and young people and is encouraged, supported and supervised where necessary.

p.3

Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— (a) is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children's home from abuse or neglect; and (b) sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (2) The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular— (d) provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; (e) describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)). 12 August

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Any registered manager placed in charge of a children's home or staff member in a deputy or supervisory role such as 'shift leader' should have substantial relevant experience of working in a children's home and have successfully completed their induction for the home in which they are employed (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.21).  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, for example teachers or social workers, should be

p.4

Recommendations

provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. In particular, ensure that this is carried out within timescales (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2).  The children's guide should help children to understand how to make a complaint in line with the home's complaints procedure (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22).  Regulation 19 (2) details sanctions that are prohibited in behaviour management. Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to

p.4

Recommendations

support the child to understand this and carry it out. In particular, consequences should be appropriate to the behaviour being sanctioned (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38).  Staff should be familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, recording must be clear in relation to the incident requiring restraint ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4).  Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children's homes. All children's case records (Regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored

p.5

Recommendations

securely while they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.3).  Sufficient staff means a home having enough suitably trained staff (including someone in a management role) on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 51, paragraph 10.1).

p.5

Information about this children's home

A private provider manages and operates this children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

Recent inspection history

18 November 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.6

Good

The home is situated in a residential area of the town. It is large and well equipped, offering space for communal and individual activities. It is well maintained throughout and young people have contributed to the choice of decor in communal areas as well as their own bedrooms. There is a large, well-tended garden area suitable for play. Children and young people have stable, warm relationships with the staff team. They have positive day-to-day experiences in education and enjoy activities. The staff are proactive in welcoming them when returning from school, activities or contact with their family. This consistent, nurturing environment has enabled children and young people to develop a sense of belonging and safety. This offers opportunities for them to explore their feelings and develop new strategies to cope with their emotional well-being. A young person said, ‘Staff are good here.’ Another young person said, ‘I can’t believe how far I have come in a year.’

p.7

Good

Children and young people attend education well and have progressed with support from staff and management. Aspirational thinking is encouraged and young people have clear intentions for their future, supported by comprehensive care plans. A young person said, ‘I know where I want to be and we work together to get me there.’ A member of staff said, ‘I am proud of what (name) has managed to achieve.’ Children and young people know how to complain if they are unhappy and any complaints are responded to quickly by the staff. There are leaflets outlining how to complain, but details in the young person’s guide are brief. Children and young people, especially those new to the home, would benefit from the process being outlined in the young person’s guide. Staff encourage children and young people to take part in activities in leisure time and after school. Plans outline children’s and young people’s likes and dislikes and

p.7

Good

activities are arranged and supported by staff to meet these. Children are members of local football teams and young people enjoy activities such as visits to the cinema and go-cart racing. This adds to their sense of achievement and is recognised with photographs around the home and in files of their successes. Young people have developed relationships and friendships in the area and are helped to maintain these regularly. The result is that children and young people develop socially with additional positive impact on their emotional and physical well-being. Good health is well promoted within in the home. A healthy, nutritious menu is offered with flexibility to respond to the likes and dislikes of each child or young person. Staff offer support at healthcare appointments and overall these are well attended. The result is that children and young people learn to accept professional input to assist them to develop good physical and mental health.

p.7

Good

Age-appropriate plans are in place to develop the skills needed to manage the transition into adulthood. A young person said, ‘I was given a booklet and help to work my way through it.’ Staff help young people with applications to college and transport to interviews to support transition into the world of work. This helps with young people’s confidence in tackling new situations. Staff recognise the importance of family relationships to children and young people. Contact is encouraged and supported, and supervised where necessary to safeguard children and young people.

p.8

Good

Children and young people are safe within the home. Risk assessments concentrate on individual behaviours that may cause harm to children, young people or others. This ensures that appropriate risk taking is encouraged and risks that can cause harm are managed. Staff maintain regular contact with those professionals involved in the care of children and young people. A youth justice professional said, ‘(Name) managed the programme smoothly because of the support given by staff.’ A social worker said there is ‘good communication’ from the home. This enables a cohesive, consistent approach to the care offered and develops a sense of trust for children and young people in the professional services. Episodes of going missing have greatly reduced over the last six months. When these do occur, staff have a clear plan of action in place suitable to the individual child or young person. These are developed with their involvement to ensure that

p.8

Good

all appropriate steps are taken to return them safely. Relevant professionals and parents or carers are notified quickly. Records show that incidents of physical interventions are high. However, a large proportion of the interventions involve separating two family members who engage in age-appropriate squabbles that occasionally go past acceptable boundaries. Physical interventions are required when children are finding it difficult to regulate their own behaviours and emotions. De-escalation techniques are used whenever possible and staff are trained in appropriate methods of intervention. Detail of interventions in records is occasionally written in technical or theoretical language. It is difficult to get a full picture of what happened leading up to and following incidents, although the actions taken within the interventions are clear. The impact is that learning from the incident for both staff and children is not easily evaluated

p.8

Good

and therefore does not inform future practice. A restorative approach is being developed to manage behaviours. Sanctions are used regularly and overall they are appropriate responses, but occasionally they are punitive in approach. The management and staff team need to address this in order that children understand how to change their behaviour effectively. Incentive schemes are in place for all children and young people and prove successful in most cases. Internet safety is well managed. Appropriate technical filters are in place on equipment and usage is monitored regularly. Recruitment of staff is robustly managed. Induction booklets are used along with shadow shifts in the first six months of employment and the new staff team members have benefited from this. However, the actions and exercises included in the booklet are not signed off as completed by the manager and therefore do not evidence that reflection and learning is taking place.

p.8

Good

Staff and managers are clear about procedures for concerns about the safety of children and young people. Concerns are shared and reported in a timely manner. There have been eight allegations against staff over the previous twelve months. These have been made by three children and young people. None have resulted in further action and all have been investigated and recorded. The designated officer for safeguarding said he is kept up to date and the home report incidents appropriately. He highlighted that, ‘Follow-up after allegations and mediation between staff, children and young people to rebuild relationships is good.’ However, the safeguarding policy does not detail the principles and process of investigation. The impact is that evaluation of the appropriateness of the investigations is difficult to assess.

p.9

Requires improvement

The registered manager is suitably qualified, working towards a higher qualification and has considerable experience of working in children’s homes. The manager is aspirational for her team and the children and young people. She is supported by an enthusiastic deputy manager who manages in her absence. Together they have impacted positively on the development of the home since the previous inspection. The home is highly staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the children and young people living there. The staff team is suitably vetted, qualified and where staff are new to the team they are working towards a relevant qualification. The manager has a clear sense of both the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has a workforce development plan in place. Training is recorded on each individual staff file, but there is no overview record that would enable appropriate planning and monitoring to take place. The induction training received is robust.

p.9

Requires improvement

However, subsequent training covers the same topics and is at the same level. To ensure continuous professional development and retention of staff this needs to be addressed. Staff receive effective supervision that is focused on children’s and young people’s experiences, as well as raising areas for development through reflection on incidents. Supervision is recorded. However, it is not always carried out with the expected frequency, including supervision of the manager. Team and management meetings are regular. The emotional impact of the work on staff is recognised and managed well. A member of staff said, ‘(Name) and (Name) always debrief with us after incidents’ and that ‘they have an open door policy’. This enables staff to feel able to discuss issues in a safe, supportive way. This impacts on the care provided to children and young people by ensuring positive team work and a quick reaction to concerns.

p.9

Requires improvement

Management and staff work proactively and positively with other agencies and professionals. They seek to build effective working relationships with parents and social workers from placing authorities. However, an independent reviewing officer expressed a low-level concern at some staff members’ ability to manage the behaviour of children placed. It was recognised by the officer that it was ‘early days’ in the placement of the particular children referred to. This was fed back to the management team. Neighbourhood complaints continue to impact on the home. Staff are anxious when outside with children that noise and behaviour may elicit further complaints. Advice was given that senior management within the organisation need to address the situation with neighbours and allow the manager to fulfil her role within the home. The recommendations made in the previous inspection have been met. This demonstrates the home’s continued capacity to improve.

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 ‘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. 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 children looked after 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.11

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that 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. 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.12

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.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, 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.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