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

Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 1 SC032701 Registered provider: South Tyneside Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 September 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices were issued on the 26 September 2017 in relation to keeping the children and young people safe. Both compliance notices are met. Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home has significantly progressed since the last inspection by meeting all the previous requirements and two compliance notices. The outcomes for the young people are improved and staff morale is very good.  Positive changes to the quality of individualised care and the day-to-day experiences of the young people are beginning to show good results. Relationships between the staff and the young people are warm and nurturing.  Improvements in educational outcomes support young people who struggle with school attendance. The young people’s healthcare needs are met, and they are regularly consulted to ascertain their views and wishes.  Transitional arrangements have been reviewed to ensure that all the young people moving into or leaving the home are better supported.  Measures to keep the young people safe have been strengthened. Improvements to the home’s safeguarding procedures, alongside additional

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Key findings from this inspection

staff training, are promoting the young people’s welfare effectively.  Effective leadership and management are driving improvement. Consistency within the staff team is contributing to the home providing a stable environment in which young people receive high levels of effective support.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2017 Full Inadequate 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff focus strongly on providing individualised care. They see the young people as unique individuals, and they focus on each young person’s strengths and potential. This positive approach values and respects the young people, and it creates a forward-thinking ethos that is leading to improved outcomes. Relationships between the staff and the young people are warm and nurturing. This builds trusting bonds that help the young people to thrive and flourish. A young person said: ‘I love all the staff – they are like my family. I can talk to them and I like to be with them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Improvements in how the young people are supported to achieve academically are delivering positive results. The staff ensure that all the young people have an educational placement that meets their needs. The manager, working alongside the local authority virtual head teacher, has implemented a new strategy to support those young people who struggle with school attendance. This makes a tutor available to provide bespoke education at the home and give immediate access to an alternative education provision. In this provision, specialist staff support the young people back into mainstream school. This innovative way of working creates opportunities for the young people to work through their difficulties in an emotionally safe environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s healthcare needs are met and they are meeting their developmental milestones. For young people who need additional healthcare support, specialist services are accessed quickly. This prevents unacceptable delays that can lead to the young people experiencing longer-term adverse effects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Meaningful activities are an important aspect of the young people’s support and their social development. Key workers explore each young person’s dreams and aspirations, and they actively seek to engage the young people in achieving their goals. This investment in the young people helps them to understand that they can enjoy new experiences, which develops their feelings of self-confidence and self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitional arrangements for new young people moving into the home and those young people moving on are very good. Since the last inspection, the manager and senior managers have invested a great deal of thought in how they can best support the young people during what can be a difficult time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: ‘The staff have been great in supporting my young person to move to a new placement. (Name) was struggling with the move, because he did not really want to go. His key worker spent a lot of time talking to (Name) to help him to understand that the move was to keep him safe. This was really helpful.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider has introduced strict criteria to ensure that all new referrals are fully vetted and assessed to increase the likelihood of a successful placement. Part of this process involves making an informed evaluation of the needs of the young people living at the home. This reduces the risk of their placement being affected. The careful planning and Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 4 scrutiny help to avoid unnecessary disruptions for the young people.

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

The home has met a previous requirement to improve the quality of the child protection procedure. The new procedure clearly sets out what the staff must do if they have any safeguarding concerns. The staff receive regular child protection training which equips them with the knowledge and skills to recognise potential child abuse and to take immediate action to keep the young people safe.

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

Risk management is improved. The staff have a better understanding of the importance of maintaining and updating effective risk assessments. Additionally, the introduction of a new risk assessment format that highlights the young people’s high-risk areas focuses on key strategies to keep them safe. This promotes their safety and their welfare. A staff member said: ‘The new formats are much easier to use and the young people can understand them. We know about the young people’s risks, but it is important that we monitor these to keep the young people safe.’

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

Better systems to safeguard young people who go missing and those who are vulnerable to exploitation ensure that immediate action is taken when a young person is at risk. The manager has established good links with other agencies that support and protect vulnerable young people, and improved safeguarding procedures set out effectively what the staff must do to keep the young people safe. No young people are currently at risk of radicalisation.

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

Positive behaviour management techniques support the young people to think about why they experience different behaviours, and how some of their negative behaviours can affect those around them. Key workers have a pivotal role in supporting the young people to understand how their experiences can manifest in challenging behaviours, and this support reduces the young people’s anxieties and feelings of distress. For example, key workers engage the young people in life-story work that helps them to talk about their past and how they feel about themselves.

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

The young people live in a safe environment that meets their needs. Regular health and safety and fire safety checks protect young people from environmental hazards. All visitors to the home are checked and vetted, and safe recruitment procedures ensure that the young people are not exposed to unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since April of this year. She has applied to be registered with Ofsted, and her interview date is imminent. The manager has the right skills and qualifications to undertake her role. She has a wealth of experience, having worked in the care industry for a number of years.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has made very good progress since the last inspection. The manager has competently addressed and met all the previous requirements and two compliance Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 5 notices. As a result, the young people are better protected and the quality of the care and support provided to them has vastly improved. The overall performance and the operation of the home are effectively managed, which provides the young people with a stable environment that meets their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A young person said: ‘It is loads better since the last time you were here. Everybody is happier, and everybody gets on really well.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s consistent and positive style of management has brought the staff together to form a skilled, committed, and highly motivated team. Staff morale is excellent, and the staff feel valued and appreciated. The manager is supported by two competent deputy managers who are strong shift leaders. This ensures that the high standards set by the manager are maintained in her absence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, time has been allocated by the provider to additional training and extra team meetings. All the staff have been involved in understanding why the home was judged inadequate, and how the team must work together to improve the young people’s outcomes and their experiences. The staff response has been a significant contributing factor to the improvements noted during this inspection. Staff are extremely enthusiastic and highly motivated, and relationships within the team are considerate and supportive. A staff member said: ‘The home is the best that it has ever been. Everyone is getting on really well and we are all working together consistently. The management is great – they are all approachable and we can say what we think.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a very good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She regularly scrutinises and monitors activities and practice to ensure that the young people receive the services that they need. The registered manager has strong links with other agencies and professionals to ensure that the young people have access to specialist services. The young people’s equality and diversity are highly respected, and the manager and the staff are very good advocates who promote and maintain the young people’s rights.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are no new requirements or recommendations arising from this visit. Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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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: SC032701 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector:

Debbie White, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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