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

Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 1 SC486527 Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by an independent provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who are aged between 10 years old and 17 years old on admission who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 The management team is highly skilled in providing an environment that focuses on the continuous professional development of its staff. This ensures that all staff are able to reflect on their practice, ensuring that the young people Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 2 receive the best quality care possible.  The staff team is committed to supporting the young people to feel safe and protected from harm. It provides a warm and emotionally supportive home in which the young people can progress at their own pace.  The standard of recording in the home provides effective and up-to-date care plans. The efficient monitoring systems enable the staff to maintain clear and evaluative records that support the young people in all aspects of their development and risk management.  There is a strong ethos in the home built on respect, openness and honesty. The staff team strongly feels able to express itself and ultimately has a voice in

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

the development of the home.  Relationships are positive and ensure that key-working is a strength.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Staff would benefit from the development of appropriate accommodation for staff who sleep in the home overnight.  Young people appreciate the high quality standard of decoration that is currently provided in the home. This would be enhanced by personalising the living environment, including celebrating the achievements and memories of young people.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The design of the home should provide staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.26)  Where children placed in a home are not participating in education, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, allowing for individuality and personalisation of certain areas, with

p.3

Recommendations

records of achievements and photographs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s admission policy and procedure is very thorough. The registered manager will visit young people wherever they may be to ensure that they are provided with a personal view of the home. Careful consideration is given to ensure that matching is at the forefront of the decision-making process. A member of staff said: ‘The thought that goes into referrals is thorough and the young people are well matched. This means that you are able to do some really good work and can get out doing activities as well as staying in and having a nice relaxed evening.’ The young people are provided with positive experiences and opportunities to enable them to develop positive memories of their time at the home. A young person stated: ‘The home is very good, I feel safe and healthy. They [staff] are getting me involved in lots of activities. I do boxing on a Monday, archery on a Tuesday and Wednesday is gym night. I get on with all staff, they

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

listen to me and if I ask for something they will always try and get it for me.’ The young people are able to enjoy and achieve in a relaxed environment with support from consistently positive adult role models. Self-confidence and well-being is promoted on a daily basis.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans address the full range of the young people’s individual needs and are linked to all other aspects of care, education, health and social activities. Risk assessments and key-worker sessions are detailed and provide for a consistent level of care. The staff team is skilled in developing relationships with the young people. The confidence and relaxed nature of the team enhances the atmosphere, which is positive and happy. The Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 4 young people observed during the inspection happily engaged with the staff. Emotional and physical health are monitored at all times. Some young people who have different personalities and experiences are responded to in accordance with specific strategies. Strategies are set at different paces, enabling individuality to be promoted as well as observed, and to avoid any negative patterns of behaviour to develop unnoticed. Privacy

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and space are in abundance, creating time for rest and reflection as well as group living. The young people are empowered to develop skills and individual activities of their liking.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The spacious kitchen/dining room is very well decorated, as is the rest of the home. It is an inviting space to sit and share experiences over meals. The two lounges are both equipped with a high standard of furnishings and televisions. Both would benefit from a little individuality associated with the young people, but they are nevertheless, comfortable and warm. The home provides a relaxed, homely environment in which the young people are able to seek support when they so wish and to retreat for private time. Respect for privacy and for self is provided.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultations with the young people are routinely completed and they are always listened to. Developments at the home, such as the summerhouse and the potential for a planned summer holiday, have been discussed with them. Key-worker sessions enable the young people to express themselves and are used to welcome new arrivals, introducing them to rules and boundaries as well as expectations in respect of the treatment of others. This develops young people’s ownership and acceptance of individual differences. The registered manager and staff reinforce this through difficult times by ensuring that any disturbances are explained to each young person. Primarily, this ensures that they are emotionally settled and that adults are there to provide security and support. Tolerance and acceptance are promoted, but the staff team also provides reassurance and comfort when required.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attendance in education is supported; this may be in a mainstream school as a result of carefully planned reintegration, or through the home’s off-site alternative education programme. The young people demonstrate different stages in their engagement with education and can at times refuse to attend. The home needs to address this more robustly to ensure that the young people are provided with an alternative if they are clear that they do not wish to attend on any given day.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are making progress at their individual pace. Contact with families and friends is facilitated at the home, in the community and, in some cases, through overnight stays. This demonstrates the exceptional progress that the young people have made while at the home. Staff support friendships in the community and will provide transport when appropriate to areas slightly further afield. The staff will arrange a time to collect the young person, waiting in the locality to ensure that the young person’s safety is supported.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the young people are supported in their health needs, through general practitioner appointments and dental and optician appointments. Well-being and lifestyle are promoted through physical activities and healthy, well-balanced menus, which the young people help to choose. A weekly menu planner can be seen in the kitchen/dining area. Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 5 This all indicates that this is a home that promotes positive care and family living.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff team is very competent and knowledgeable about the risks associated with the young people. It has received appropriate training and is skilled in the development of risk assessments. Guidance and management oversight is provided. When young people are out in the community, there is always a well-constructed plan in place that allows for contact to be made at agreed times. Small steps are made to safeguard and protect the young people from any harm or associated self-harming behaviours. The young people are provided with one-to-one sessions on a regular basis with their key worker. A range of topics are discussed, which enables the young people to express their emotions, wishes and feelings with an adult that they trust. Support is provided with sensitivity and care.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff work alongside the home’s clinical psychologist to develop a range of strategies to help the young people cope with their associated anxieties, concerns and behaviours. The psychologist works directly with the young people, and through case discussion is able to provide the staff with relevant strategies that will support their interactions on a daily basis. A member of staff said: ‘We received some good training around positive parenting that has helped us to work with specific behaviours, taking small steps.’ This bespoke training enables strategies to be implemented quickly to address historical barriers to engagement, developed through trauma. The young people are helped to socialise and take part in a range of activities and new experiences. Progress is apparent in positive changes that are made in respect of young people’s confidence and self- esteem.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Any issues of bullying are addressed quickly and are not tolerated. All of the young people upon admission to the home sign a contract to such effect. Incidents that have occurred in the home, and in mainstream schools, are dealt with immediately, working with educational professionals. This ensures that progress is maintained in enabling the young people to gain appropriate qualifications to support their future careers. The direct and swift action avoids any barriers being created and provides a positive parenting experience for young people, enhancing and supporting their self- development.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The door to the office is routinely secured when staff are not using it and vehicle keys are stored in a secure safe. This has been strongly emphasised to all staff as a result of the home’s vehicle being taken by a young person. Access to the room was gained through a window, however, and on this occasion the vehicle keys were not in the safe. An appropriate response to the situation enabled the vehicle to be located and the young person was stopped safely. This was an isolated incident, but nevertheless a shortfall in practice. The vast majority of the young people in placement have progressed and have become increasingly safe as a result of the safe environment provided by the registered manager and his team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 6 The registered manager is very experienced and is appropriately qualified. He is supported by a very able deputy manager, with a wealth of knowledge and experience gained in residential childcare. They have worked together in the home for a relatively short space of time, yet they have been able to develop and create an environment that is based on continuous professional development and a commitment to supporting young people to progress in all areas of their life.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The supervision of staff is completed to a high standard, ensuring that there are always opportunities to connect theory to practice. The staff team is empowered to reflect and make effective comments on social care practice scenarios and professional journals. These cover a range of theoretical approaches, such as attachment disorders, highly emotive areas linked to sexual exploitation and other associated aspects of potential harm. A relatively new member of staff stated: ‘I am very impressed with supervision, I receive it twice a month, and my supervisor is very knowledgeable. Supervision is planned and covers a range of subjects. Information is printed off and provided to enable discussion to take place. I really enjoy supervision, there is always something to be learned.’ Knowledge that is gained enhances staff’s awareness and understanding. This enables them to further develop their skills in meeting the young people’s

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has reviewed the qualifications of staff. Where necessary, and with the agreement of staff, he has enabled them to achieve the recognised qualification required by regulation, in addition to qualifications that staff have already attained. This is about raising standards and creating a high-performing staff team. Training provided to staff is relative to current social events, such as radicalisation. It is planned for all staff, to alert them to potential situations, ultimately ensuring that all the young people are protected from harm or potential harm.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Further developments are being considered, such as turning the summerhouse into an art studio at the request of the young people. Various ideas were shared and ultimately the views and opinions of the young people were rightly valued above all others as it is their home. The registered manager and staff team are delighted to be able to utilise a lovely building in the back garden that has not really had a purpose. This will enable the young people to express themselves and the manager has plans to ensure that artwork created by them can be displayed in the home, with the young people’s agreement. This will support the young people to express themselves and develop confidence and self- esteem.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There have been a number of new staff, with differing levels of experience, recruited since the last full inspection. All of them appear to be thriving in a supportive team environment. A member of staff said: ‘I just love being here. The atmosphere for the young people is great, this is a home for them, not just a house.’

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 7 people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.6

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3-5 Brenkley Way, Blezard Business Park, Seaton Burn, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland NE13 6DS

p.8

Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9