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

Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 1 SC442886 Registered provider: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered to care for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered provider is a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 29 to 30 November 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people develop trusted and loving relationships with the adults who care for them. There is a real sense of family values, with mutual respect observed between the adults and the young people.  The staff team works proactively with a range of professionals. This ensures that all areas of the young people’s health and development are maintained to a good standard.  All the young people have recently experienced a transition in their education, either from primary school to secondary school or secondary school to college. The staff have supported the young people to make those transitions, with success. Education attendance remains at 100%.  The staff form a dedicated team and recognise each young person’s achievements and milestones. This is celebrated and captured within a dedicated achievement book for the young people to cherish. This is in addition to life-story work that tells the story of the young person’s life.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff team is excellent at identifying each of the young people’s individual strengths. The team encourages young people to develop their interests, which provides opportunities for the young people to have enjoyment and create achievements. Activities include learning to play an instrument, engaging in sports, and attending youth clubs and guides.  The staff team is passionate when discussing each young person. The young people take ownership of their achievements and developments. The staff are modest about their input into the young people’s lives. The management team and staff welcome feedback from inspectors to be able to drive improvement forward.  The staff team works hard to ensure that each young person develops appropriate relationships and friendships. Friends and family of the young people are invited to the home and made to feel welcome.  When young people move on to independent living, the staff team continues to

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Key findings from this inspection

have positive input into the young people’s lives and remains in contact. This gives young people a sense of belonging.  The views, wishes and feelings of the young people are considered in a genuine way. The young people are consulted on a range of matters and contribute to records. This helps the young people to feel valued.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding to be included in team meetings as a standard item.  The manager needs to ensure that all staff have the appropriate qualification to Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 3 work at the home. The manager needs to complete the level 5 diploma by June 2018. All the staff need to complete refresher training in safeguarding.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The registered person should build a strong safeguarding culture in the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.8) In particular, safeguarding should be added as a standard item to the team meeting agendas.  Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.12) In particular, all members of staff to attend refresher training in safeguarding.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Outstanding 11/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/11/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is situated on the outskirts of the town centre, enabling young people to easily access local amenities and public transport. The home is welcoming and tastefully decorated throughout. The young people have been consulted about the home’s recent refurbishment and were involved in purchasing items of furniture. This makes the young people take pride in their home and enjoy spending time in it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is a strong sense of family values. Memories are captured in photographs and displayed around the home, along with other memorabilia. The artwork of one young person is proudly displayed. Managers and the staff team take their own children to visit the young people. They jointly go on visits to pantomimes and other social events. This makes the young people feel valued and part of an extended family. Other professionals have described the young people and the staff to be ‘just like one big happy family… they all sit down together and eat at mealtimes’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Each young person’s care plan is individualised and relevant to their needs. There are excellent monitoring systems in place to ensure that care plans and risk assessments are updated and relevant. Three of the young people have achieved bronze and silver awards within their pathway planning and are now progressing towards gold. This demonstrates excellent planning to prepare young people for independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team is committed to the progress of young people and is creative in its methods to engage and include the young people. Two members of staff took a young person to a cottage for the weekend to help develop and complete part of her pathway plan. This made it a memorable and enjoyable experience for the young person, as well as developing her independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff know the young people very well and are able to identify when young people are experiencing difficulties, even when young people do not verbalise a worry or concern. This means that the staff are able to offer immediate emotional and practical support to the young people. The proactive ways in which the staff respond to the young people’s needs foster positive and trusting relationships. One young person said, ‘Every single one of them goes above and beyond. I go to different staff for different things, but they are all equally good. I know they care about me and want the best for me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff team have excellent relationships with a range of professionals. Some professionals compared this home to other children’s homes. One professional said, ‘This should be the benchmark for every children’s home.’ Another professional said, ‘I was over the moon when I found out that [name] was moving here. The staff are just amazing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young people are making excellent progress. Each young person is supported in their education. Attendance is 100% and attainment is in line with the young people’s Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 5 abilities. One young person was waiting to attend a new training programme. The staff are ensuring that the young person has a regular routine during the transition period to ensure that it runs smoothly. After-school activities and hobbies are encouraged. This enables young people to develop their social skills and grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One young person who has now left the home has been supported to move into higher education. She studies at a university out of the area. The staff maintain regular contact with the young person and plan to visit her over the festive holidays. This demonstrates that staff exceed what is expected of them in their daily roles, because of their commitment to the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team educates the young people to be appreciative of diversity. They provide opportunities for the young people to fully participate in their community. The staff team and young people are involved in voluntary and charity work. This has included a McMillan coffee morning, food donated to the local foodbank and warm clothing donated to the homeless community. In addition, the young people and staff team completed a charity walk and have donated to the Christmas shoebox appeal. This teaches young people good values and makes them feel that they are making a positive contribution.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team has good working relationships with family members and promotes contacts in the community and in the home. A parent said, ‘[Name] is the most settled she has been. The staff are great, they treat her like their own. I’m made to feel welcome and kept updated on everything.’ One member of staff has been invited to a family contact over the festive period by a parent. This shows that there is no conflict with family members. It also provides positive messages to young people about the adults around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The managers and staff are proud of each young person and ensure they feel wanted through their actions and language. A young person recently attended her prom. A member of staff said, ‘I know she is mine and I’m biased, but she looked beautiful, she just stood out.’ Members of staff refer to the young people as ‘my [name]’ during general conversation. Even when young people move on, the staff are animated in their language and talk with great affection about the young people. This lets young people know that they are appreciated for who they are.

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

Young people say that they feel safe and like living in the home. One young person said that the staff will call her when she is out in the community to check on her welfare. The young person said, ‘They do it because they care.’ The young people know that the adults care about them. This means that the young people are able to approach the staff if they have a worry. This was observed during the inspection.

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

When incidents that have risks do occur, the risk assessments are quickly updated and there is a clear plan in place to de-escalate and manage specific risks. The young people contribute to and develop their own safety plans with their key worker as part of Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 6 the risk assessments. These are live documents, so when a risk is resolved, it is removed.

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

The staff team speaks with the young people about the consequences of their actions. This helps young people to understand the actions taken by the adults who care for them. Behaviour support tools are used, with a traffic-light system to help communicate with young people who have additional learning needs. This has effective outcomes for the young people. Records viewed show that sanctions are rare, young people do not go missing from the home and restraints are not necessary.

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

The staff team is confident in challenging low-level misbehaviour. The staff team helps to educate young people to tell right from wrong, to enable them to develop into good citizens. One young person received a special award at college for showing good citizenship qualities.

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

Staff members are clear about safeguarding protocols and share relevant information with the appropriate safeguarding agencies. The management team takes a dynamic approach to safeguarding. Their actions have extended to safeguarding young people who do not live at the home.

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

There have been no concerns raised in respect of bullying, child sexual exploitation or radicalisation. Despite this, the staff continue to maintain positive relationships with relevant agencies and are clear who to contact if any issues arise.

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

Online safety has not been a concern, and staff work with young people to educate them on the dangers of being online. Young people sign an agreement concerning this, so they are clear how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. This agreement is monitored and reviewed regularly to remind young people of the dangers. The young people respond well to the boundaries in the home.

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

All staff have completed safeguarding training and the majority of staff have attended refresher training in safeguarding. Safeguarding is discussed within supervisions as a standard item. This ensures that safeguarding is at the forefront of daily practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has been in post since June 2016. She is supported by an experienced deputy and a committed team. Her level 5 qualification is expected to be completed by June 2018. The management team is aspirational and committed to achieving good outcomes for the young people. The management team motivates the staff team in the same way. This means that the young people experience consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers understand the needs of young people from their starting points. They ensure that the staff reflect the progress of young people in their planning and recordings. Regular and robust monitoring systems create opportunities for the manager to challenge the staff’s practice to ensure that the team is effective in driving improvements forward. Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 7 All members of staff report that they feel supported by their manager. One member of staff said, ‘I can approach her at any time. She has an open-door policy.’ This creates an environment for good practice to thrive. The staff are happy in their roles and this leads to good outcomes being achieved for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff receive regular appraisals, supervision and training, which are promoted by the manager. The manager ensures that the young people are consulted as part of the staff’s professional development. A young person wrote in their feedback, ‘[Name] believed me when no one else did.’ Another young person said, ‘She takes time out to listen to what I have to say.’ The manager generates a strong emphasis on positive experiences and good outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The training matrix evidences that all staff have completed mandatory training and most of the staff have completed updated safeguarding training. This is in addition to a range of other courses relating to current issues. One member of staff has not yet completed the refresher training in safeguarding. Such training would alert this member of staff to any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safeguarding discussions form part of supervisions and are clearly recorded. The staff do not currently discuss safeguarding more widely, such as in team meetings. Including safeguarding in team meetings would build a stronger safeguarding culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When discussing the findings from the inspection with the manager, she was exemplary in her response and forward-thinking to ensure that decisive action is taken to make improvements. This demonstrates that the management team is not complacent in its practice and is able to prevent shortfalls occurring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team leads by example and this sets a benchmark for exceptional practice within the home.

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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 differences 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 8 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: SC442886 9

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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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Inspectors

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Susan Atkinson-Millmoor, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: SC442886 10 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’ services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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