Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 1 SC032701

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to nine children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a local authority.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in response to written notifications that had been sent by the provider. The notification raised concerns that the young people were not being adequately safeguarded.

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This monitoring visit

The main areas of concerns arising from the notifications are:

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This monitoring visit

 That the staff call the police to manage the young people’s behaviour, criminalising young people.  There are inconsistencies in reporting safeguarding events to the appropriate agencies.  The records showing what actions were taken in response to an allegation and indicators that the young people were at risk from harm are of poor quality and are not completed consistently.  There are inadequate staffing levels, particularly late at night and in the early hours of the morning.  The management of risk is not effective.

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This monitoring visit

The home has recently reopened following a temporary closure for refurbishment. During the closure, the young people lived in another local children’s home before moving back into their home four weeks ago. The transitional arrangements were well planned, and the young people are beginning to settle into their home.

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This monitoring visit

However, there have been occasions when behaviours have escalated, particularly at weekends. There have been incidents of anti-social and challenging behaviour, which include damage to property and threats to the staff. There has also been an Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 2 increase in a young person’s self-harming and another young person alleged an assault by other young people.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have called the police to assist them to manage challenging behaviours when they felt that the young people and the staff were at risk. Additionally, young people have been arrested for causing damage. Following a full review of the events leading to the staff calling the police for assistance, the inspector’s opinion from this visit is that the staff acted appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

There are inconsistencies in how child protection concerns are reported. This has resulted in failures to report safeguarding concerns to the local authority safeguarding team. The home’s child protection procedure is not clear in explaining what action the staff should take following a child protection concern. This has led to errors in how the manager, and the staff, have responded immediately following safeguarding incidents. This compromises the young people’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Poor and inconsistent record-keeping of what happens following a child protection incident results in a lack of clarity. There is no clear protocol about where to record a chronology of what actions are taken in response to a child protection concern. The manager was able to provide some information, such as when some strategy and care team meetings have taken place, but there is no information available as to what was discussed at the meetings, the meeting outcomes or any identified follow- up actions to keep the young people safe. This lack of knowledge and information sharing compromises the young people’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Night-time and weekend staffing levels are not adequate to meet the young people’s needs. The provider has failed to address staffing levels in response to recent events when young people’s behaviours have escalated late at night and into the early hours of the morning. The staff have been unable to manage the young people’s behaviour, which has resulted in the police being called to assist them.

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This monitoring visit

Additionally, only providing two staff members means that the provider is unable to adhere to the young people’s care plans or their supervision and safe observation requirements. For example, one young person needs two staff to support him, which leaves the remaining young people unsupervised for short periods.

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This monitoring visit

Individual young people’s risk assessments are not always updated in line with their needs and their known risks. For example, a young person has been identified as being at high risk from self-harming behaviour but their risk assessment has recorded this risk as low. Failures to fully understand and address all risk-taking behaviours compromise the young people’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

There are two requirements arising from this visit. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which –

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular –

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; and

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34(1)(b) and (2)(b) and (d)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that –

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to –

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13(1)(b) and (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staffing levels are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people at all times, including late at night and into the early hours of the morning. 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure – 14/07/2017 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 5 that staff –

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk from 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the children’s and young people’s written risk assessments are monitored and updated to reflect new or escalated risks, and how these will be reduced. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i))

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: South Tyneside Council, Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE33 2RL

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Inspector

Debbie White, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032701 7 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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