Children's Home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035387 1 SC035387

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Stockton on Tees Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a local authority and is registered to provide the care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit took place following a complaint to Ofsted from an anonymous person. The complainant suggested that the home was not working to the statement of purpose and that staff were engaged in working on an anticipated future project, as well as working with the current aims and objectives. The complainant also suggested that staff were having to work overly long hours and that staff were being treated unfairly by managers. The inspector found that the complaint was unsubstantiated. The staff at the home have continued to work to their current statement of purpose and have only admitted children and young people who fit the stated admissions criteria. The local authority does intend to change the role of the home at a future date and, to that end, have started to plan for this change. The interim manager of the home has participated in this planning and has overseen some outreach work carried out away from the premises with staff not employed at

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This monitoring visit

the home. To do this, the manager does have some records and documents pertaining to this work in their office. The inspector could find no evidence that this additional work had affected any of the permanent staff or any child or young person. The home was continuing to run effectively. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035387 2 The local authority had previously made a decision not to admit any more children or young people. As a result, the numbers of young people resident in the home are decreasing as they complete planned moves on from their short-term placements at this home. At the time of the inspection, there were two young people in residence. One was due to leave on the day of the inspection and one a few days later. Both were planned placements in line with appropriate care planning. The inspector could find no inappropriate use of staff, or of overly long working

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This monitoring visit

hours. There were permanent members of staff on every shift. The use of bank staff was high; however, for the greater part, the interim manager was using the same staff each time to provide reasonable consistency for the children and young people. The interim manager did tell the inspector that there were some employment issues being raised by the staff due to the anticipated change of their roles, which was causing some anxieties. Requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection had been met. One requirement was made during this visit.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/05/2017 Full Good 31/08/2016 Full Good 12/07/2016 Full Inadequate 04/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035387 3

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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 appoint a person to manage the children’s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home and the registered provider is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)) 17/02/2018

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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 and to respond to a complaint submitted to Ofsted.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stockton on Tees Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stockton on Tees Borough Council, Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton on Tees, Cleveland TS18 1LD

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Inspector:

Colin Imrie, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035387 4 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:

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

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