Children's Home run by North East Autism Society in Sunderland

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to flourish and make measurable and sustained progress relative to their complex learning needs and disabilities. They enjoy life, having regular exposure to structured activities both in the home and out in the community. One young person was taken to watch a league football match and staff were amazed, stating, ‘he sat transfixed throughout the whole match.’ Another young person has shown a keen interest in ‘rap’ music and now attends a disco every week.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people appear happy and comfortable in their environment, with evidence of strong attachments with members of staff within the home. Staff promote contact with immediate and extended family members and actively encourage visits to the home. This helps to sustain and nurture the bond between parent and child, resulting in improved family relationships. The home facilitates an ‘open door’ policy for families, creating a homely and welcoming environment. Staff also promote regular contact in the community, supporting and assisting families in supervision, while engaging in a range of activities. For one child, this has involved staff providing an escort for fortnightly visits to parents who live outside the city.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Parents are secure in the knowledge that their children are in very stable placements, and are looked after by a dedicated and committed staff team. Staff know the children and young people exceptionally well: their likes and dislikes, patterns of behaviour, and methods of communication. The use of techniques such as ‘the social story’, a visual sequenced method of teaching and communication, has resulted in significant improvements. One child is now able to use a fork to eat meals and has progressed to holding a knife. For another young person the process of getting dressed, putting clothes in the laundry room and following simple tasks has been liberating.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For one young person, Makaton is a means of communication. The majority of staff have completed the Makaton training, with a plan for all members of staff to be fully trained. Specialised training is encouraged to equip staff in their responses to the children and young people’s individual styles of communication and range of disabilities. One member of staff has devised and implemented a ‘personal progression plan’ that tells the journey of a child or young person’s achievements using an innovative and child-focused systems approach. It records ‘wow’ moments, for example when one young person managed a trip to the cinema using public transport. This method of identifying learning needs, through target, method, resource and evaluation, has been so successful it has been adopted by the provider for use in other homes.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All children and young people attend some form of educational provision that is tailored to meet their individual learning needs. For one young person who has reached adulthood, the continuity of remaining at the same provision has been advocated by the staff. This minimises additional disruption and change through the young person’s transition period. There is excellent daily communication between staff at the home and professionals working in the range of specialist educational provisions that the children and young people attend.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be managed efficiently and safely by a manager and staff team who have a number of years’ experience of working with children and young people who have complex needs and disabilities. Members of staff have progressed from being agency to permanent, and are afforded the opportunity to enhance their professional development within the organisation. The manager’s visual and child-focused approach, to recording activities such as the statutory review report, and in the day-to-day running of the home, promotes better outcomes for the children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendations made at the last inspection have been met, leading to the approval by the trustees of an additional senior role. This will provide a further tier within the management structure, and enhance supervisory functions and decision- making in the absence of the manager. The locality risk assessment has been updated and signed off by staff members. No issues were identified.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides accommodation for up to four children and young people who have learning disabilities. It is operated by a charitable trust.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/12/2016 Full Outstanding 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/01/2016 Full Good 11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 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, 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,

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Text phone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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