Children's home run by Approach-Development (NE) Ltd in Redcar and Cleveland

Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 1 SC489187 Registered provider: Approach-Development (NE) Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns and manages this children’s home. It can accommodate up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2017

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The four requirements and one recommendation raised at the last inspection have been fully or partially met. This demonstrates a capacity to improve while also enhancing care and outcomes for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Much improved day-to-day care plans clearly identify the young people’s individual needs and how they are to be achieved. They demonstrate the collaborative working that takes place between the staff team and partner agencies to ensure that the young people receive consistent care messages in order to achieve their goals. However, it is not always clear whether the young people have seen and agreed to their plans. Therefore, their opportunities to formally reflect their opinions may be being missed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although they are not all in post as yet, new staff members have been appointed to Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 2 ensure that there are sufficient people to care for and meet the needs of each young person. In addition, the manager is taking proactive action to recruit more male workers to increase the gender balance within the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people have been involved in developing a redecoration programme with the staff team. Previously unusable bedrooms have been refurbished, offering the young people a choice of rooms and utilising the space in the home better. This improves the young people’s sense of ownership and belonging. The work has not yet started on increasing the height of the bannisters on the staircase in line with a past requirement. However, evidence seen on this inspection confirms that the manager sees this as a priority and work is shortly to start. A social worker reported, ‘I’ve been very impressed with the facilities available within the home and think that the accommodation is comfortable and suits the young person well.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been some occasions when the young people have been absent from the home, either because they have been late returning or because they have gone out without prior arrangement. The manager is working with the staff team and the young people to establish patterns of missing behaviours and therefore reduce the number of such incidents. However, it is not clear from records whether placing authorities always speak with the young people following their return to establish reasons for their absence.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A good range of risk assessments cover all aspects of the young people’s physical and emotional needs. However, there are occasions when these are not fully complied with, which could lead to a young person placing themselves at risk of being harmed. For example, on occasion the home has not ensured that young people who are known to have started fires do not have flammable materials in their bedrooms.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The consistent use of positive incentives empowers the young people to learn appropriate ways of managing their behaviours and supporting each other. Young people feel valued and at home as they respond to the warm and nurturing care they receive. One young person said, ‘This place is the best.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of the young people’s feelings of security and belonging, there is very little need for physical intervention. There have only been two restraints since the last inspection, both involving the same young person. The manager has been proactive in identifying the need for further support for the young person in relation to family contact arrangements, as it has been recognised that these are a trigger for negative behaviours. This allows the young person to maintain important familial relationships while making sense of the feelings those sessions engender in him. A family member reported, ‘I’ve been made to feel very welcome at the home and the staff keep in touch with me regularly. I would have no problem about contacting the staff if anything was wrong.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people develop the confidence to express themselves positively as a result of the opportunities they are provided with by the manager and staff team. For example, the young people participate in the beginning of staff meetings and in the manager’s Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 3 health and safety checks. The young people feel important and heard as a result. A family member reported, ‘He’s doing really well at the moment. He likes it there and it is much better than where he was previously.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have not been any discharges since the last inspection. The one new resident was carefully matched with the other young people already placed in the home. This is allowing the young person to settle, even though this is their first experience in a residential care setting. A social worker reported, ‘Introductory visits had been well planned by the manager of the home and this had helped to familiarise the young person with the home and staff group.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The committed and nurturing staff team provides the young people with the opportunity to build meaningful attachments. The young people’s feelings of self-worth and emotional well-being are enhanced as a result. A family member stated, ‘The care that [Name] is receiving is really good.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All three young people have appropriate education provision. Two young people attend mainstream schools and the third is on a college course, pursuing his ambition to become a bricklayer. Young people are also provided with extra tuition to support them in achieving academic qualifications, for example in mathematics. Young people’s confidence in their academic abilities and their ambition regarding their future employment prospects are improved. A social worker stated that, ‘The placement is going very well and [Name] is happy and settled.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/03/2017 Full Requires improvement 30/01/2017 Full Inadequate 29/11/2016 Full Inadequate

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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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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 4  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns

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Recommendations

for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and the placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to day-basis (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, ensure that bedrooms are checked daily for any material capable of causing fires.

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Children’s home Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 5 Registered provider: Approach-Development (NE) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Fulmerton Crescent, Redcar TS10 4NJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Margaret Lynn Mitchell

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Inspector

Ann-Marie Born, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489187 6 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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