Children's Home run by Talbot House Children’s Charity Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness . While in many ways the children and young people continue to make good progress, there are now increased concerns about safeguarding. The staff have not addressed the safeguarding concerns raised at the previous inspection sufficiently well. Although they have made some progress on all the previous requirements, none of these is fully met and they are therefore raised again with an additional requirement in relation to training. In the period since the previous full inspection, there has been another serious safeguarding incident very similar to one that occurred just prior to the previous inspection. Two children and young people, about whose sexualised behaviour there are significant concerns, were not supervised sufficiently well and, as a result, an incident has occurred and serious allegations have been made. These are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

currently still under investigation by the appropriate authorities. The consequence of this incident was that one young person had to leave the home for a temporary period and one child has had to leave the home permanently. Therefore, the requirement in relation to staff supervision has been escalated. The child who has left the home has moved to a more appropriate placement. Although risk assessments are now more appropriate, they are not written particularly well. They are overly long and complicated at times. There have been at least two situations when the staff have not followed them. One was the safeguarding incident described, and the other concerned a physical intervention that was inappropriate. Although the criteria for a physical intervention were met, it was carried out in a situation which the risk assessment specified as not appropriate. Therefore, the requirement in relation to risk assessments has been

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

raised again. The registered manager has admitted children and young people who have complex needs. The staff have not always been able to offer them sufficient in- depth individual work to address their complex and often sexualised behaviour. There has been some improvement, but further development is required. It is evident to the inspector that staff do not have sufficient training to fully appreciate the risks involved, and a requirement has been made to address this issue. A previous requirement to ensure that children and young people over the age of 16 years have a pathway plan has not been actioned, and a second young person who has now turned 16 does not have a pathway plan in place. This requirement has been raised again, and the registered manager now needs to escalate requests for these to be completed. Most of the children and young people continue to make good progress. The home has been through an unsettled period but is now more settled. One young person

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

spoken to by the inspector clearly said how much they enjoy living at the home and that they feel safe and well cared for. The inspector considers that the experience of living in the home is good for the children and young people continuing to live there. The education of the children and young people is given a high priority, and there is evidence of good progress here. One young person has passed more exams than they were predicted to, and others are making progress. School and college attendance is generally good. The health of children and young people continues to be well looked after. Family contact is also given a high priority, and there is evidence that children and young people are supported to maintain and develop family relationships. The registered manager and the staff have identified some concerns in relation to the consistency of their work with the children and young people. The inspector

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

saw evidence of consistency not being as good as it could be, and further work is now required here. The training requirement addresses this issue. One older young person has moved on to adult care in a positive way after having a successful placement. This is a good outcome. The registered manager has involved more external specialist workers in assessment of and work with the children and young people, and this is positive. There has also been an increase in external specialists offering the staff advice and guidance, and this could be further developed. Although the registered manager has made some efforts to ensure that the staff team is working at the necessary level of understanding, this needs to improve so that the needs of all the children and young people are being met effectively. The staff team is more settled with fewer changes and fewer agency staff being used. Senior staff now need to support the registered manager to make further

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

improvements. There is some good work carried out at this home by caring staff, but more attention to safeguarding and individual work is now required to create a more professional service. The registered manager needs to direct appropriate resources to achieve this as a priority.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a charitable organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation for up to seven children who have emotional and/or behavioural problems or learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

28/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

28/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6. In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to ensuring that young people with needs in relation to sexualised behaviour are offered appropriate support and guidance, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and 2(b)(v) help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to risk assessments in relation to sexualised behaviour, the registered person must ensure: (2)(a)that staff: (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child: and (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

*12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to identification of risk and appropriate staff supervision of the children, the registered person must ensure: (2)(b) 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. 31/01/2017 14. In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to ensuring that pathway plans are completed in a timely manner, the registered person must ensure that children: (1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees: (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)) In particular, this relates to ensuring that they have in-depth training in relation to understanding how to manage the needs of young people who demonstrate sexualised behaviour, sexually harmful behaviour and self-harm. This training must be booked by 31 January 2017. The training should be completed as soon as possible and its effectiveness validated by the registered person. 31/01/ 2017

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Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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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 that 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 whom 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

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

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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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